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1 Chronicles 18:1-17 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 Now after this H310 it came to pass, that David H1732 smote H5221 the Philistines, H6430 and subdued H3665 them, and took H3947 Gath H1661 and her towns H1323 out of the hand H3027 of the Philistines. H6430

2 And he smote H5221 Moab; H4124 and the Moabites H4124 became David's H1732 servants, H5650 and brought H5375 gifts. H4503

3 And David H1732 smote H5221 Hadarezer H1928 king H4428 of Zobah H6678 unto Hamath, H2574 as he went H3212 to stablish H5324 his dominion H3027 by the river H5104 Euphrates. H6578

4 And David H1732 took H3920 from him a thousand H505 chariots, H7393 and seven H7651 thousand H505 horsemen, H6571 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 footmen: H376 H7273 David H1732 also houghed H6131 all the chariot H7393 horses, but reserved H3498 of them an hundred H3967 chariots. H7393

5 And when the Syrians H758 of Damascus H1834 came H935 to help H5826 Hadarezer H1928 king H4428 of Zobah, H6678 David H1732 slew H5221 of the Syrians H758 two H8147 and twenty H6242 thousand H505 men. H376

6 Then David H1732 put H7760 garrisons in Syriadamascus; H758 H1834 and the Syrians H758 became David's H1732 servants, H5650 and brought H5375 gifts. H4503 Thus the LORD H3068 preserved H3467 David H1732 whithersoever he went. H1980

7 And David H1732 took H3947 the shields H7982 of gold H2091 that were on the servants H5650 of Hadarezer, H1928 and brought H935 them to Jerusalem. H3389

8 Likewise from Tibhath, H2880 and from Chun, H3560 cities H5892 of Hadarezer, H1928 brought H3947 David H1732 very H3966 much H7227 brass, H5178 wherewith Solomon H8010 made H6213 the brasen H5178 sea, H3220 and the pillars, H5982 and the vessels H3627 of brass. H5178

9 Now when Tou H8583 king H4428 of Hamath H2574 heard H8085 how David H1732 had smitten H5221 all the host H2428 of Hadarezer H1928 king H4428 of Zobah; H6678

10 He sent H7971 Hadoram H1913 his son H1121 to king H4428 David, H1732 to enquire H7592 of his welfare, H7965 and to congratulate H1288 him, because he had fought H3898 against Hadarezer, H1928 and smitten H5221 him; (for Hadarezer H1928 had war H376 H4421 with Tou;) H8583 and with him all manner of vessels H3627 of gold H2091 and silver H3701 and brass. H5178

11 Them also king H4428 David H1732 dedicated H6942 unto the LORD, H3068 with the silver H3701 and the gold H2091 that he brought H5375 from all these nations; H1471 from Edom, H123 and from Moab, H4124 and from the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 and from the Philistines, H6430 and from Amalek. H6002

12 Moreover Abishai H52 the son H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 slew H5221 of the Edomites H123 in the valley H1516 of salt H4417 eighteen H8083 H6240 thousand. H505

13 And he put H7760 garrisons H5333 in Edom; H123 and all the Edomites H123 became David's H1732 servants. H5650 Thus the LORD H3068 preserved H3467 David H1732 whithersoever he went. H1980

14 So David H1732 reigned H4427 over all Israel, H3478 and executed H6213 judgment H4941 and justice H6666 among all his people. H5971

15 And Joab H3097 the son H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 was over the host; H6635 and Jehoshaphat H3092 the son H1121 of Ahilud, H286 recorder. H2142

16 And Zadok H6659 the son H1121 of Ahitub, H285 and Abimelech H40 the son H1121 of Abiathar, H54 were the priests; H3548 and Shavsha H7798 was scribe; H5608

17 And Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada H3077 was over the Cherethites H3774 and the Pelethites; H6432 and the sons H1121 of David H1732 were chief H7223 about H3027 the king. H4428

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 18

Commentary on 1 Chronicles 18 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 18

David's piety and his prayer we had an account of in the foregoing chapter; here follows immediately that which one might reasonably expect, an account of his prosperity; for those that seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, as David did, shall have other things added to them as far as God sees good for them. Here is,

  • I. His prosperity abroad. He conquered the Philistines (v. 1), the Moabites (v. 2), the king of Zobah (v. 3, 4), the Syrians (v. 5-8), made the king of Hamath his tributary (v. 9-11), and the Edomites (v. 12, 13).
  • II. His prosperity at home. His court and kingdom flourished (v. 14-17). All this we had an account of before, 2 Sa. 8.

1Ch 18:1-8

After this, it is said (v. 1), David did those great exploits. After the sweet communion he had had with God by the word and prayer, as mentioned in the foregoing chapter, he went on his work with extraordinary vigour and courage, conquering and to conquer. Thus Jacob, after his vision, lifted up his feet, Gen. 29:1.

We have taken a view of these victories before, and shall now only observe,

  • 1. Those that have been long enemies to the Israel of God will be brought down at last. The Philistines had, for several generations, been vexatious to Israel, but now David subdued them, v. 1. Thus shall all opposing rule, principality, and power, be, at the end of time, put down by the Son of David, and the most inveterate enemies shall fall before him.
  • 2. Such is the uncertainty of this world that frequently men lose their wealth and power when they think to confirm it. Hadarezer was smitten as he went to establish his dominion, v. 3.
  • 3. A horse is a vain thing for safety, so David said (Ps. 33:17), and it seems he believed what he said, for he houghed the chariot-horses, v. 4. Being resolved not to trust to them (Ps. 20:7), he would not use them.
  • 4. The enemies of God's church are often made to ruin themselves by helping one another, v. 5. The Syrians of Damascus were smitten when they came to help Hadarezer. When hand thus joins in hand they shall not only not go unpunished, but thereby they shall be gathered as the sheaves into the floor, Mic. 4:11, 12.
  • 5. The wealth of the sinner sometimes proves to have been laid up for the just. The Syrians brought gifts, v. 6. Their shields of gold and their brass were brought to Jerusalem, v. 7, 8. As the tabernacle was built of the spoils of the Egyptians, so the temple of the spoils of other Gentile nations, a happy presage of the interest the Gentiles should have in the gospel church.

1Ch 18:9-17

Here let us learn,

  • 1. That it is our interest to make those our friends who have the presence of God with them. The king of Hamath, hearing of David's great success, sent to congratulate him and to court his favour with a noble present, v. 9, 10. It is in vain to contend with the Son of David. Kiss the Son, therefore, lest he be angry; let the kings and judges of the earth, and all inferior people too, be thus wise, thus instructed. The presents we are to bring him are not vessels of gold and silver, as here (those shall be welcomed to him who have no such presents to bring), but our hearts and sincere affections, our whole selves, we must present to him as living sacrifices.
  • 2. That what God blesses us with we must honour him with. The presents of his friends, as well as the spoils of his enemies, David dedicated unto the Lord (v. 11), that is, he laid them up towards the building and enriching of the temple. That is most truly and most comfortably our own which we have consecrated unto the Lord, and which we use for his glory. Let our merchandise and our hire be holiness to the Lord, Isa. 23:18.
  • 3. That those who take God along with them whithersoever they go may expect to prosper, and be preserved, whithersoever they go. It was said before (v. 6) and here it is repeated (v. 13) that the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went. Those are always under the eye of God that have God always in their eye.
  • 4. God gives men power, not that they may look great with it, but that they may do good with it. When David reigned over all Israel he executed judgment and justice among all his people, and so answered the end of his elevation. He was not so intent on his conquests abroad as to neglect the administration of justice at home. Herein he served the purposes of the kingdom of providence, and of that God who sits in the throne judging right; and he was an eminent type of the Messiah, the sceptre of whose kingdom is a right sceptre.