Old Testament Commentary - 1 Chronicles 18

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 18 David subdues all the advesaries of Israel and reigns in justice over the people.
1 NOW after this it came to pass, that David ^asmote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took ^bGath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's 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 Syria-damascus; and the Syrians became David's 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 ^aSolomon made the brasen ^bsea, 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 ^aEdomites became David's servants. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went^a.	13^a the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went Now the LORD did love David, but it was not merely for that reason which the LORD did work to preserve Israel and the house of David. As so stated in the previouse chapter, the reason that the LORD did presurve David was that for his own sake in that Israel was the promised people, the covenant people of the Lord, by and though whom he would work to bless the nations of the earth in and according to that everlasting covenant, even that covanent and promises given through the 'father's' whether to be noted as that promise made to Adam, Enoch, Noah, or Abraham is the Covenant of Abraham. It was that which Abraham did seek after of the Lord as so stated in the book of Abraham chapter 1 verses 2-4 as Abraham so stated, 'I sought for the blessings of the fathers ... concerning the seed', which seed was the promise of the Messiah.
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.