Bible Commentaries
1 Chronicles 18

Verses 1-2

DAVID’S GOD-GIVEN VICTORIES OF HIS ENEMIES;
VICTORY OVER THE PHILISTINES AND THE MOABITES

“And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Goth and its towns out of the hands of the Philistines. And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.”

Verses 3-4

DEFEAT OF THE KING OF ZOBAB

“And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates. And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hocked all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for a hundred chariots.”

Verses 5-8

DEFEAT OF THE SYRIAN ALLIES OF HADAREZER

“And when the Syrians came to succor Hadarezer king of Zobah, David smote of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants of David, and brought tribute. And Jehovah gave victory to David whithersoever he went. And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. And from Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadarezer, David took very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.”

Verses 9-11

TOLU ACCEPTS THE DOMINION OF DAVID

“And when Tolu king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah, he sent Hadoram his son to king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadarezer and smitten him (for Hadarezer had wars with Tolu); and he had with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass. These also did king David dedicate unto Jehovah, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.”

Verses 12-13

OTHER VICTORIES OF DAVID BY ABISHAI

“Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah smote of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt eighteen thousand. And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became servants to David. And Jehovah gave victory to David whithersoever he went.”

These verses are parallel with 2 Samuel 8:1-14; and we have devoted nine pages to a discussion of these verses in my commentary on Second Samuel, pp. 99-108. The Chronicler made no mention of David’s extreme cruelty to the Moabites; but otherwise there are few variations.

Verses 14-17

A LIST OF DAVID’S ADMINISTRATORS

“And David reigned over all Israel; and he executed justice and righteousness unto all his people. And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; and Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar were priests; and Shavsha was scribe; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.”

These verses are parallel with 2 Samuel 8:15-18; and we have written five pages of comments on these verses in that commentary, pp. 108-112. Special attention is there devoted to the apparent conflict of 1 Chronicles 18:17 here with 2 Samuel 8:18. It is resolved in the fact that there was an early meaning of the word incorrectly translated “priest,” in 2 Samuel, which was sometimes used for administrator, which is the office meant in both references.