One Chronicles Eighteen
by Dr. Henry M. Morris
(taken from the Defender's Study Bible)
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1 Chronicles 18:1 Now 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.
Now after this. 1 Chronicles 18 is essentially the same as 2 Samuel 8. See note on 1 Chronicles 17:1.
1 Chronicles 18:2 And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.
Moabites became David's servants. Many of Israel's long-time enemies were subjugated by David. This included not only the Moabites (David's great grandmother, Ruth, was a native of Moab) but also the Philistines (1 Chronicles 18:1), the Syrians (1 Chronicles 18:5) the Ammonites and Amalekites (1 Chronicles 18:11), and the Edomites (1 Chronicles 18:13). More details of these conquests are given in 1 Chronicles 19-20. David's kingdom extended, for a while, practically to the boundaries long before promised by God to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21).
1 Chronicles 18:3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.
Hamath. Hamath was north of Damascus (capital of Syria), near the upper reaches of the great river Euphrates. Thus God's promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:18) had finally been at least in part fulfilled.
1 Chronicles 18:4 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.
seven thousand. The parallel record (2 Samuel 8:4) says David took seven hundred horsemen, instead of seven thousand. The other numbers in the two verses all agree. Apparently there has been a copyist error in one of them, and the correct reading is probably the one given here, as being more in line with the others. But see note on 2 Samuel 8:4.
houghed. See note on Joshua 11:6.
1 Chronicles 18:5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
1 Chronicles 18:6 Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
1 Chronicles 18:7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 18:8 Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.
Tibhath, and from Chun. The parallel account in 2 Samuel 8:8 added Betah and Berothai to these two cities (Betah may be the same as Tibhath). These cities, though long gone, are mentioned in the records of ancient Egypt.
1 Chronicles 18:9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;
1 Chronicles 18:10 He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to inquire 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.
He sent Hadoram. Hadoram is called Joram in 2 Samuel 8:10. The king of Hamath (which was a semi-independent city-state north of Syria) willingly submitted to David rather than risk military conquest like that of Syria.
1 Chronicles 18:11 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.
David dedicated. David regarded all his conquests as God-ordered, and so dedicated all their spoils for use in the future temple.
1 Chronicles 18:12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.
1 Chronicles 18:13 And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David's servants. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
1 Chronicles 18:14 So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people.
1 Chronicles 18:15 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder.
1 Chronicles 18:16 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe;
1 Chronicles 18:17 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.
Cherethites and Pelethites. These special contingents of Israel's armies were probably Philistines—either proselytes or mercenaries. Note 2 Samuel 15:18.
