1 Chronicles 18
David's Military Victories
1After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines.
2He defeated Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.
3David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, toward Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates.
4David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them enough for one hundred chariots.
5When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians.
6Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.
7David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
8From Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took very much bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze sea, the pillars, and the vessels of bronze.
9When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,
10he sent Hadoram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him (for Hadadezer had wars with Tou); and he had with him all kinds of vessels of gold and silver and bronze.
11King David also dedicated these to the LORD, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations: from Edom, from Moab, from the children of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amalek.
12Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah struck eighteen thousand of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
13He put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became servants to David. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.
14David reigned over all Israel; and he executed justice and righteousness for all his people.
15Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;
16Zadok the son of Ahitub and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was scribe;
17and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief officials serving the king.
This chapter chronicles David's extensive military campaigns that established Israel as the dominant regional power. Through victories over the Philistines, Moabites, Arameans, and Edomites, David expanded Israel's borders and secured tribute from conquered nations. The chapter emphasizes that these successes came from the LORD's blessing and concludes by listing David's administrative officials, portraying his reign as both militarily triumphant and well-organized.
Context
This chapter follows David's establishment in Jerusalem and his covenant with God, showing how divine blessing manifested in military success and territorial expansion.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-2Victories over Philistines and MoabDavid defeats traditional enemies and establishes tributary relationships
- 3-8Campaign against Aramean CoalitionMajor victory over Hadadezer and Syrian allies yields significant spoils for the temple
- 9-11Diplomatic Relations and TributeKing Tou sends gifts through his son, which David dedicates to the LORD
- 12-13Conquest of EdomAbishai's victory completes David's domination of surrounding territories
- 14-17David's AdministrationSummary of David's just rule and listing of his key government officials
David's Military Victories
18:1–18:17David achieves military victories over surrounding nations including Philistines, Moabites, and Syrians, with the LORD giving him victory wherever he goes. David dedicates the spoils of war to the LORD and establishes his reign over Israel with justice and righteousness.
person_contrast
David's systematic conquest of six distinct enemy nations in rapid succession uniquely demonstrates divine sovereignty through human military prowess, contrasting his typical covenant-focused narratives.
1 Chronicles 18:4
2 Samuel 8:4lexicalDavid took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung the chariot horses,…
2 Kings 13:7lexicalFor he didn’t leave to Jehoahaz of the people any more than fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen;…
1 Chronicles 19:18lexicalThe Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrian men seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand footmen…
2 Samuel 10:18lexicalThe Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen, a…
1 Kings 20:30lexicalBut the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben Hadad fled…
1 Chronicles 18:5
2 Samuel 8:5lexicalWhen the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty two thousand men of the Syrians.
2 Samuel 10:6lexicalWhen the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of…
2 Chronicles 28:23lexicalFor he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him. He said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helpe…
1 Chronicles 19:6lexicalWhen the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent one t…
1 Chronicles 18:6
2 Samuel 8:6lexicalThen David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. The LORD g…
2 Kings 8:9lexicalSo Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and…
1 Chronicles 18:8
Jeremiah 52:20lexicalThey took the two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve bronze bulls that were under the bases, which King Solomon had ma…
2 Kings 25:16lexicalThe two pillars, the one sea, and the bases, which Solomon had made for the LORD’s house, the bronze of all these vessel…
2 Chronicles 4:18lexicalThus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance, so that the weight of the bronze could not be determined.
1 Kings 7:47lexicalSolomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them. The weight of the bronze could not be determ…
2 Kings 25:13lexicalThe Chaldeans broke up the pillars of bronze that were in the LORD’s house and the bases and the bronze sea that were in…
1 Chronicles 18:9
2 Samuel 8:9lexicalWhen Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer,
1 Chronicles 18:10
2 Samuel 8:10lexicalthen Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet him and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and str…
Isaiah 60:17lexicalFor bronze I will bring gold; for iron I will bring silver; for wood, bronze, and for stones, iron. I will also make pea…
Joshua 6:24lexicalThey burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only they put the silver, the gold, and the vessels of bronze an…
Joshua 6:19lexicalBut all the silver, gold, and vessels of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD. They shall come into the LORD’s treasury.…
1 Chronicles 18:11
2 Samuel 8:12lexicalof Syria, of Moab, of the children of Ammon, of the Philistines, of Amalek, and of the plunder of Hadadezer, son of Reho…
Isaiah 11:14lexicalThey will fly down on the shoulders of the Philistines on the west. Together they will plunder the children of the east.…
1 Samuel 14:47lexicalNow when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, and agai…
Jeremiah 27:3lexicalThen send them to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the children of Ammon, to the king of Tyre, and…
Jeremiah 25:21lexicalEdom, Moab, and the children of Ammon;
1 Chronicles 18:12
2 Samuel 8:13lexicalDavid earned a reputation when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand men of the Syrians in the Valley of Salt…
2 Chronicles 25:11lexicalAmaziah took courage, and led his people out and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck ten thousand of the children of…
2 Kings 14:7lexicalHe killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel, to this day.
1 Chronicles 18:13
2 Samuel 8:14lexicalHe put garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom, he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. The LORD…
1 Chronicles 18:15
2 Samuel 8:16lexicalJoab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder,
2 Samuel 20:24lexicalAdoram was over the men subject to forced labor, Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder,
1 Kings 4:3lexicalElihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder;
1 Chronicles 18:16
2 Samuel 8:17lexicalZadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, Seraiah was scribe,
2 Samuel 20:25lexicalSheva was scribe, Zadok and Abiathar were priests,
1 Chronicles 24:6lexicalShemaiah the son of Nethanel the scribe, who was of the Levites, wrote them in the presence of the king, the princes, Za…
1 Chronicles 18:17
1 Kings 1:38lexicalSo Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down a…
2 Samuel 8:18lexicalBenaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.
1 Kings 1:44lexicalThe king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and th…
2 Samuel 20:23lexicalNow Joab was over all the army of Israel, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites,
2 Samuel 20:7lexicalJoab’s men went out after him with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusal…
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