1 Chronicles Chapter 18-19 :  English Standard Version | SearchSearch | Next Version | Previous Page | Next Page |

Other Versions18 David Defeats His Enemies

18:1 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines.

2And he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

3David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah-Hamath, as he went to set up his monument[1] at the river Euphrates. 4And David took from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for 100 chariots. 5And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6Then David put garrisons[2] in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David[3] wherever he went. 7And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8And from Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a large amount of bronze. With it Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze.

9When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, 10he sent his son Hadoram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him; for Hadadezer had often been at war with Tou. And he sent all sorts of articles of gold, of silver, and of bronze. 11These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations, from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines and Amalek.

12And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13Then he put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

David’s Administration

14So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people. 15And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests; and Shavsha was secretary; 17and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were the chief officials in the service of the king.

[1] Hebrew hand  [2] Septuagint, Vulgate, 2 Samuel 8:6 (compare Syriac); Hebrew lacks garrisons  [3] Hebrew the Lord saved David


19 The Ammonites Disgrace David’s Men

19:1 Now after this Nahash the king of the Ammonites died, and his son reigned in his place. 2And David said, “I will deal kindly with Hanun the son of Nahash, for his father dealt kindly with me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites to Hanun to console him. 3But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?” 4So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away; 5and they departed. When David was told concerning the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

6When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents[4] of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah and from Zobah. 7They hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and encamped before Medeba. And the Ammonites were mustered from their cities and came to battle. 8When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. 9And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

Ammonites and Syrians Defeated

10When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. 11The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and they were arrayed against the Ammonites. 12And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” 14So Joab and the people who were with him drew near before the Syrians for battle, and they fled before him. 15And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, Joab’s brother, and entered the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

16But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. 17And when it was told to David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to them and drew up his forces against them. And when David set the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 7,000 chariots and 40,000 foot soldiers, and put to death also Shophach the commander of their army. 19And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Syrians were not willing to save the Ammonites any more. 

[4] A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

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