1 Chronicles 18:1-17
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.
2 And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.
3 And David smote Hadarezera 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 sevenb 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 Damascusc came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
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.
7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
8 Likewise from Tibhath,d and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.
9 Now when Toue king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;
10 He sent Hadoramf 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 Abishaig 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 Edomites became David's servants. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.
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.h
16 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelechi 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 aboutj the king.
With slight variations, this chapter is identical with 2 Samuel 8:1. It tells the story of David's victories over surrounding foes by which he made the boundaries of his kingdom secure, and put himself in position to increase his trading facilities. First, he dealt with the Philistines on the southwest, and then turned to the northeast, where he secured a position on the great river. The Edomites were defeated by Joab and Abishai, and so security and opportunity to trade were made certain.
In view of the desire of the king to build the Temple of God, this chapter is of special interest, as it shows how in all these wars David was amassing treasure with that end in view. The Moabites and the Syrians brought presents. Shields of gold and much brass were gathered from the cities and servants of Hadarezer. Vessels of gold and silver and brass were sent by Tou. All these things were dedicated to the Lord.
Thus through all the days of conflict, and notwithstanding the fact that he was not to be personally permitted to build, the desire to accomplish his purpose burned in his heart.
The story suggests to us the possibility of our helping very really the work of God to which, in some respects, we may not be permitted to put our hands. The passion of the heart may have been to go into the foreign field of service, and for some reason the way is blocked, evidently by God. The temptation is to think that therefore we are excluded from that work. Let us rather set ourselves to gather treasure for the work, and so keep the passion burning.