1 Chronicles 18 KJV
David's Victories
1 Chronicles Chapter 18: David's Victories
Chronicles deliberately omits the gruesome measuring-line execution of two-thirds of the Moabites recorded in 2 Samuel 8, softening David's portrait to emphasize his role as pious temple-builder rather than ruthless conqueror.
1ow after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became Davidโs servants, and brought gifts.
3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.
4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots.
5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
6 Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became Davidโs servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
8 Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.
9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;
10 He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for Hadarezer had war with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.
11 Them also king David dedicated unto the LORD, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.
12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.
13 And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became Davidโs servants. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
14 So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people.
15 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder.
16 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe;
17 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.
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Did You Know?
Chronicles deliberately omits the gruesome measuring-line execution of two-thirds of the Moabites recorded in 2 Samuel 8, softening David's portrait to emphasize his role as pious temple-builder rather than ruthless conqueror.
The brass taken from Hadarezer's cities of Betah and Berothai is later referenced in temple accounts, revealing how the Chronicler frames these campaigns as direct material preparation for Solomon's sanctuary rather than mere territorial gain.
Toi's gift-bearing embassy after David's defeat of their mutual rival Hadarezer illustrates an ancient Near Eastern diplomatic pattern in which a third-party king leveraged another's victories to secure alliance without fighting, extending Israel's influence northward to Hamath.
The terse statement that David 'executed judgment and justice unto all his people' (v. 14) echoes the Deuteronomic ideal of kingship (Deut 17) and the royal psalms, positioning administrative equity as the theological counterpart to military success.
The administrative roster at the chapter's end (Joab, Jehoshaphat, Zadok, Shavsha, Benaiah, David's sons) establishes a bureaucratic template that Solomon inherits and expands, underscoring the Chronicler's interest in institutional continuity between the two kings.
Commentary & Study Notes Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871) ยท Public Domain David... took Gath and her towns โ The full extent of David's conquests in the Philistine territory is here distinctly stated, whereas in the parallel passage (2Sa 8:1) it was onlyโฆ
Classic verse-by-verse commentary on 1 Chronicles 18 from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (1871). Covers: David subdues the philistines and moabites; David smites hadadezer and the syrians.
- 1
- David... took Gath and her towns โ The full extent of David's conquests in the Philistine territory is here distinctly stated, whereas in the parallel passage (2Sa 8:1) it was only described in a general way. Gath was the "Metheg-ammah," or "arm-bridle," as it is there called โ either from its supremacy as the capital over the other Philistine towns, or because, in the capture of that important place and its dependencies, he obtained the complete control of his restless neighbors.
- 2
- he smote Moab โ The terrible severities by which David's conquest of that people was marked, and the probable reason of their being subjected to such a dreadful retribution, are narrated (2Sa 8:2). the Moabites... brought gifts โ that is, became tributary to Israel.
Read all 7 notes on 1 Chronicles 18 โ