XVIII. — XX. This section represents the warlike aspect of David’s character, just as 1 Chronicles 15-17 portrayed him from the religious point of view, as zealous for the due observance of the Divine order in worship. The narratives are closely parallel to the corresponding ones in 2 Samuel, and a... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW AFTER THIS IT CAME TO PASS. — Literally, _And it befel afterwards._ This expression does not put the contents of this chapter into direct chronological sequence with those of the last. (Comp. Note on 1 Chronicles 17:1.) The formula of the original history, from which both Samuel and Chronicles h... [ Continue Reading ]
(1-3) Reduction of the Philistines, Moabites, and Arameans of Zobah.... [ Continue Reading ]
Much abridged, as compared with Samuel. After the words “he smote Moab,” we read there of a partial massacre of the conquered. The emission is scarcely due to any unfair bias on the part of the chronicler. Indeed, as a Jew, possessed with all the national exclusiveness and hatred of the aliens who a... [ Continue Reading ]
HADAREZER. — Samuel, “Hadadezer” (_Hadad is help_)_,_ which is correct. Hadad was a Syrian god, identical with Dadda (Rimmon), worshipped from the Euphrates to Edom and North Arabia. Comp. the royal names Benhadad and Abdadad (_i.e.,_ servant of Hadad, like Obadiah, servant of Iahu), which last occu... [ Continue Reading ]
A THOUSAND CHARIOTS, AND SEVEN THOUSAND HORSEMEN. — Hebrew text of Samuel, “a thousand and seven hundred horsemen.” The territory of Zobah lay somewhere in the great plain of Aram. Hadadezer would, therefore, be strong in chariots and horses, and our reading is probably correct. (Comp. 1 Chronicles... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE SYRIANS OF DAMASCUS CAME. — Literally, _And Aram of Damascus came._ The verb is masculine here, feminine in Samuel. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 18:2.) DAMASCUS. — Heb., _Darmèseq,_ a late form, occurring again in 2 Chronicles 28:5; 2 Chronicles 28:23 (= ancient _Dammèseq_). In Syriac the name... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT GARRISONS. — The noun here omitted in the Hebrew, probably by an oversight, occurs in Samuel. In 1 Chronicles 11:16 and 2 Chronicles 17:2 it means “out post,” or “garrison;” in 1 Kings 4:19, “prefects,” or “pashas.” The Targum of Samuel gives _strategi,_ “generals;” Syriac and Arabic, “prefects”... [ Continue Reading ]
ON. — Samuel, “to” = belonging to.... [ Continue Reading ]
TIBHATH, AND... CHUN. — Two unknown places. The names in Samuel are Betah and Berothai. Tebah occurs as an Aramean name in Genesis 22:24, of which “Tibhath” is a feminine form, and “Betah” probably a corruption. Syriac, “Tĕbah” and “Bĕrûthi” in both places. So Arabic of Samuel, “Tâbâh” and “Barûti”... [ Continue Reading ]
The King of Hamath’s embassy to David.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN ... — _And Tou king of Hamath heard._ Samuel, “Toi.” The Hebrew letters answering to _w_ and _y_ are often confused in MSS. Tô-û is right; so LXX. and Vulg. in Samuel; Syriac, “Thû‘;” Arabic, “Tû‘u;” The Syriac here has “Phûl king of the Antiochenes” (!); the Arabic, “Phâwîl king of Antioch... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SENT. — Heb., _and he sent._ HADORAM. — Samuel, “and Toi sent Joram” (LXX., “Jeddûram”). Vulg., “Adoram;” but Syriac and Arabic, “Joram.” Hadoram, or Adoram (_Hadar_ or _Adar, is high_)_,_ seems right; but Joram, _i.e.,_ Jehoram (_Jehovah is high_)_,_ may be correct, for it appears from an inscr... [ Continue Reading ]
HE BROUGHT. — Samuel, “dedicated.” Chronicles avoids the tautology. THESE NATIONS. — _The nations_ — _scil.,_ “whom he had reduced” (Samuel). FROM EDOM. — Samuel, “from Aram,” but LXX., Syriac, and Arabic, “Edom;” (Targum and Vulg., “Aram”). All the versions read “Edom” here, which appears correct... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER ABISHAI ... — Heb., _And Abishai son of Zeruiah had smitten Edom in the Valley of Salt, eighteen thousand._ In Samuel we read something quite different: “And David made a name, when he returned from his smiting Aram.” “Aram” should be read Edom, as the LXX., Syriac, and Arabic have it. Per... [ Continue Reading ]
The reduction of Edom. The paragraph mark should be at 1 Chronicles 18:12, not 1 Chronicles 18:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE PUT GARRISONS (or “prefects,” 1 Chronicles 18:6) IN EDOM. — Samuel adds, “in all Edom he set garrisons,” thus marking the complete subjugation of the country. THUS THE LORD PRESERVED DAVID. — See 1 Chronicles 18:6. David was victorious on all sides, north (1 Chronicles 18:3), and south, and... [ Continue Reading ]
EXECUTED. — _Was doing;_ a permanent state of things. JUDGMENT AND JUSTICE. — _Right and justice._ The former is the quality, the latter the conduct which embodies it. AMONG. — _For,_ or _unto. _... [ Continue Reading ]
(14-17) David’s internal administration and high officers of state.... [ Continue Reading ]
RECORDER. — Literally, _Remembrancer._ LXX and Vulg. render the word “over, or writer of, memoranda.” Syriac and Arabic of Samuel have “leader,” “director;” here they render literally. (Comp. 2 Samuel 8:16; 2 Kings 18:18; 2 Chronicles 34:8.)... [ Continue Reading ]
ZADOK, of _the_ line of Eleazar (1 Chronicles 6:4). (Comp. 1 Chronicles 12:28; 1 Chronicles 16:39; 2 Samuel 8:17; 2 Samuel 15:24; 2 Samuel 19:11; 1 Kings 1:8; 1 Kings 4:4.) ABIMELECH THE SON OF ABIATHAR. — Read _Ahimelech the son of Abiathar._ Sa [ Continue Reading ]
CHERETHITES AND THE PELETHITES. — 2 Samuel 8:18. The royal body-guard, for which office Oriental kings have always employed foreign mercenaries. Josephus calls them the body-guard (_Antiq. vii._ 5, § 4). The names are tribal in form, and as the Cherethites recur (Ezekiel 25:16; Zephaniah 2:5) in con... [ Continue Reading ]