1 Chronicles 18:1-17

The Book of 1 Chronicles

God rules History

1 Chronicles

Ian Mackervoy

Chapter 18

David’s battles – 1 Chronicles 18:1-20

The *kingdom becomes larger – 1 Chronicles 18:1-13

v1 Later David attacked the *Philistines. He defeated them. He took the city called Gath and the small towns round it from their control.

v2 David defeated the army of Moab. The people in Moab became his servants and they paid taxes to him.

v3 David fought King Hadadezer of Zobah all the way to Hamath town. Hadadezer had gone to increase his control along the Euphrates river. v4 And David took from him 1000 *chariots, 7000 riders, and 20 000 other soldiers. He made all except 100 horses unable to pull *chariots.

v5 People from the country called Aram came from Damascus. They came to support King Hadadezer of Zobah. But David killed 22 000 of them. v6 Then David put army camps in Damascus. The people in Aram became David’s servants and they paid taxes to him. The *LORD helped David to win battles everywhere that he went.

v7 David took the gold *shields that Hadadezer’s officers carried. And he brought them to Jerusalem. v8 He also took a great quantity of *bronze from Tibhath and Cun. These had been among the cities that Hadadezer ruled. Later Solomon used this *bronze. With it, he made the *bronze basin, the columns and tools (for the *temple).

v9 King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of King Hadadezer of Zobah. v10 So, Tou sent his son Hadoram to greet King David. He praised David for the defeat of Hadadezer. There had been a war between Tou and Hadadezer. Hadoram brought to David many things of gold, silver, and *bronze.

v11 King David gave these precious things to the *LORD. Also, he gave to the *LORD the silver and gold that he had taken from the nations. These nations were Edom, Moab, Ammon, the *Philistines, and Amalek.

v12 Abishai son of Zeruiah killed 18 000 soldiers from Edom in the Valley of Salt. v13 David put army camps in Edom, and all the people in Edom became David’s servants. The *LORD helped David to win battles everywhere that he went.

Verse 1 It seems that the events in chapter 18 happened before the events in chapter 17. Also, the events in chapter 19 happened before the events in chapter 18.

The *Philistines had 5 main cities. These were Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, Gath and Ekron. Ashdod, Ashkelon and Gaza were on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Ekron and Gath were not on the coast.

David defeated the *Philistines at Gath. And he took control of the small towns in that area.

Verse 2 Then David defeated the army of Moab. Their country was to the east of the Dead Sea.

Verses 3-7 Hadadezer was the king of Zobah. Zobah was a country to the north and east of Damascus and south of Hamath. Hadadezer tried to extend his area of control to the east as far as the Euphrates river. But David came and defeated him.

David won all these battles because he trusted the *LORD. And the *LORD helped him.

We do not know where the towns called Tibhath and Cun were. Solomon would later use the *bronze from these towns to make important objects for the *temple. See 2 Chronicles 4:2-5 and 2 Chronicles 3:15-17. There was so much *bronze in these objects that people were unable to weigh them (2 Kings 25:16).

Verses 9-11 Tou (or Toi) was the king of Hamath. His *kingdom was to the north of the *kingdom of Hadadezer. He chose not to fight David. David was much stronger than he was. So, he chose rather to have a peace agreement with *Israel.

David gave to the *LORD the wealth that he had taken from the nations.

Verse 12-13 The Book of 2 Samuel says that David killed these 18 000 soldiers from Edom (2 Samuel 8:13). It seems that David sent Abishai against them. Abishai led the army that won the battle. The people praised David for the success because, as king, he was in command of the army. But as David trusted the *LORD, so the *LORD helped David in his battles. In other words, it was the *LORD who brought about David’s success in all these battles.

David’s organisation – 1 Chronicles 18:14-17

v14 So, David was king over all *Israel. And he did what was fair and right for all his people. v15 Joab son of Zeruiah was the chief officer over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud kept the government records. v16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests. Shavsha was the royal secretary. v17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the people called Kerethites and Pelethites. And David’s sons were chief officials who served the king.

Verses 14-17 Jehoshaphat would have kept the royal diary. In his job, he would remind David of meetings. He probably wrote the records of those meetings.

Zadok and Ahimelech were priests. They were both chief priests. During David’s rule, there were two important places where the priests *worshipped God. So one chief priest was at Gibeon where the tent of the *LORD was. And the other one was in Jerusalem where the *ark of God was.

Shavsha was the royal secretary. This was a top job in the government.

David had an army of special soldiers. The Kerethites (or Cherethites) were a *clan of the *Philistines. So originally, the men in this special army came from among the *Philistines. Probably, these men were with David from the start. They were loyal to David but they were not *Israelites.

The Pelethites were probably among the soldiers who joined David at Ziklag. They may have taken their name from one of their leaders, Pelet (12:3). If so, then they were from the *tribe of Benjamin. But perhaps, like the Kerethites, the Pelethites were *Philistines who had decided to support David.

kingdom ~ the place or territory where a king rules and the people over whom a king rules.
Philistines ~ a group of people who lived to the south-west of Judah. They were a nation that frequently fought against the Israelites.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
chariot ~ a kind of cart that soldiers use to fight. Horses pull it.
lord ~ someone with authority such as the king.
Lord ~ a title for God, to show that he is over all people and things.
LORD ~ ‘LORD’ is the special name that God gave to himself. The name probably means: ‘He is always God.’ This name has a relationship with God’s special promises to his people.
shield ~ Soldiers carried shields in their hands for protection in battle. They were like covers or boards. They protected the body from swords or other weapons.
weapon ~ a tool of war that soldiers use in attack or defence during a battle, for example: swords, spears and slings.
spears ~ long sticks with sharp ends that soldiers used as weapons during battles.
sling ~ The sling was a weapon. It was a bit of leather with two strings. The soldier would put a smooth stone in the leather bit. Then he would swing it round above his head by the strings. Finally, he would let the stone fly out of the sling.
bronze ~ a kind of metal. Its colour is brown, but it polishes well. It is very strong.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God. Or, a building for the worship of false gods. The Jews had a temple in Jerusalem for the worship of the real God.
worship ~ acts to show honour to God (or to a false god). When people praise and thank God.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
Israel ~ Israel is the special name that God gave to Jacob. His descendants were called Israel after him. So, Israel is the nation whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The country in which they live is called Israel.
descendant ~ a future member of a family or nation.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
worship ~ acts to show honour to God (or to a false god). When people praise and thank God.
ark ~ the ark of the LORD or the ark of God; the Bible also calls it ‘the ark of God’s special promise’. It was a wooden box with gold all over the outside and inside. It had two models of gold cherubim on the top (see Exodus 25:10-22). The Israelites kept the ark in the most holy place; first in the LORD’s tent and then in the temple.
lord ~ someone with authority such as the king.
Lord ~ a title for God, to show that he is over all people and things.
LORD ~ ‘LORD’ is the special name that God gave to himself. The name probably means: ‘He is always God.’ This name has a relationship with God’s special promises to his people.
cherubim ~ special angels who were in the most holy place of the temple.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God. Or, a building for the worship of false gods. The Jews had a temple in Jerusalem for the worship of the real God.
angel ~ one of God’s special servants from heaven. God made angels to serve him and to take his messages.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
worship ~ acts to show honour to God (or to a false god). When people praise and thank God.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites.
clan ~ part of a tribe, a group of families.
tribe ~ The Israelites originally consisted of the 12 large families of the sons of Jacob. These families became the 12 tribes of Israel.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Israel ~ Israel is the special name that God gave to Jacob. His descendants were called Israel after him. So, Israel is the nation whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The country in which they live is called Israel.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
descendant ~ a future member of a family or nation.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
tribe ~ The Israelites originally consisted of the 12 large families of the sons of Jacob. These families became the 12 tribes of Israel.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Israel ~ Israel is the special name that God gave to Jacob. His descendants were called Israel after him. So, Israel is the nation whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The country in which they live is called Israel.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
descendant ~ a future member of a family or nation.