1 Chronicles 18
Easy-to-Read Version
David Wins Over Different Nations
18 Later, David attacked the Philistines and defeated them. He took the town of Gath and the other small towns around it from the Philistines.
2 Then David defeated the country of Moab. The Moabites became David’s servants and brought tribute to him.
3 David also fought against Hadadezer’s army. Hadadezer was the king of Zobah. David fought against that army all the way to the town of Hamath. David did this when he went to set up a monument for himself at the Euphrates River.[a] 4 David took 1000 chariots, 7000 chariot drivers, and 20,000 soldiers from Hadadezer. David also crippled most of Hadadezer’s horses that were used for pulling chariots. But David saved enough horses to pull 100 chariots.
5 The Arameans from the city of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah. But David defeated and killed 22,000 Aramean soldiers. 6 Then David put fortresses in the city of Damascus in Aram. The Arameans became David’s servants and brought tribute to him. So the Lord gave victory to David everywhere he went.
7 David took the gold shields from Hadadezer’s army leaders and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 David also took much bronze from the towns of Tebah and Cun. These towns belonged to Hadadezer. Later, Solomon used this bronze to make the bronze tank,[b] the bronze columns, and other things made from bronze for the Temple.
9 Tou was king of the city of Hamath. Hadadezer was the king of Zobah. Tou heard that David had defeated all of Hadadezer’s army. 10 So Tou sent his son Hadoram to King David to ask for peace and to bless him. He did this because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him. Hadadezer had been at war with Tou before. Hadoram gave David all kinds of things made of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David made these things holy and gave them to the Lord. David did the same thing with all the silver and gold he had gotten from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalekites.
12 Abishai son of Zeruiah killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 Abishai also put fortresses in Edom and all the Edomites became David’s servants. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.
David’s Important Officials
14 David was king over all Israel. He did what was right and fair for everyone. 15 Joab son of Zeruiah was the commander of David’s army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud wrote about the things David did. 16 Zadok and Abimelech were the priests. Zadok was Ahitub’s son, and Abimelech was Abiathar’s son. Shavsha was the scribe. 17 Benaiah was responsible for leading the Kerethites and Pelethites.[c] Benaiah was Jehoiada’s son. And David’s sons were important officials. They served at King David’s side.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 18:3 David did this … the Euphrates River Or “David did this because Hadadezer tried to spread his kingdom all the way to the Euphrates River.”
- 1 Chronicles 18:8 tank A very large container for water.
- 1 Chronicles 18:17 Kerethites and Pelethites These were the king’s bodyguards.
1 Chronicles 18
English Standard Version
David Defeats His Enemies
18 (A)After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 And he defeated Moab, and the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.
3 David also defeated (B)Hadadezer king of (C)Zobah-Hamath, as he went to set up his monument[a] at the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him 1,000 chariots, (D)7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king (E)of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons[b] in Syria of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David[c] wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from (F)Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a large amount of bronze. (G)With it Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze.
9 When (H)Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, king (I)of Zobah, 10 he sent his son (J)Hadoram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against (K)Hadadezer and defeated him; for (L)Hadadezer had often been at war with Tou. And he sent all sorts of articles of gold, of silver, and of bronze. 11 These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations, from (M)Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.
12 And (N)Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 Then 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
14 So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people. 15 And (O)Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16 (P)and Zadok the son of Ahitub and (Q)Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests; and (R)Shavsha was secretary; 17 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were the (S)chief officials in the service of the king.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 18:3 Hebrew hand
- 1 Chronicles 18:6 Septuagint, Vulgate, 2 Samuel 8:6 (compare Syriac); Hebrew lacks garrisons
- 1 Chronicles 18:6 Hebrew the Lord saved David; also verse 13
1 Chronicles 18
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 18
David’s Conquests.[a] 1 After this, David defeated the Philistines. He subdued Gath and took it and its dependent towns from the Philistines.
2 He struck down Moab, and the Moabites became David’s vassals and brought him tribute.
3 The king defeated Hadadezer, the king of Zobah up to Hamath when he went forth to establish his power along the Euphrates River. 4 David took one thousand chariots from him, as well as seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. David hamstrung the chariot horses, keeping one hundred chariots for himself.
5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Arameans. 6 David then stationed men in Damascus of the Arameans, and the Arameans became David’s vassals, bringing him tribute. The Lord guarded over David wherever he went.
7 David took the gold shields from Hadadezer’s servants, and he brought them to Jerusalem. 8 He also brought large quantities of bronze from Tibhath and Cun, Hadadezer’s cities. Solomon used the bronze to make the sea, the pillars, and vessels.
9 When Tou, the king of Hamath, heard how David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, 10 he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer was at war with Tou. He brought him objects of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David dedicated them to the Lord along with the gold and the silver that he had taken from all the nations, from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and from Amalek.
12 In addition to this, Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, killed eighteen thousand of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 He also established outposts in Edom, so that all of Edom became David’s vassals. The Lord guarded over David wherever he went.
14 David reigned over all of Israel, and he gave judgment and justice to all of his people. 15 Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the commander of the army, and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the archivist.
16 Zadok, the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, were the priests, and Shavsha was the scribe. 17 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was in charge of the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were the officials of the king.[b]
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 18:1 Combining the main accounts given of wars in 2 Sam 8; 10; 12; 21, the author composes a large-scale page of military history. His intention is to show how God blessed the man he had chosen as leader of his people.
- 1 Chronicles 18:17 In the parallel passage in 2 Sam 8:18, David’s sons are described as priests. The Chronicler suppresses this bit of information. In his view, the priesthood is reserved exclusively to the descendants of Levi, a tribe to which King David did not belong. We see here a greater strictness in the conception of the priesthood.
1 Chronicles 18
King James Version
18 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 Hadarezer 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 seven 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 Damascus 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, 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 Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;
10 He sent Hadoram 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 Abishai 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.
16 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech 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 about the king.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
