1 Chronicles 18
Good News Translation
David's Military Victories(A)
18 Some time later King David attacked the Philistines again and defeated them. He took out of their control the city of Gath and its surrounding villages. 2 He also defeated the Moabites, who became his subjects and paid taxes to him.
3 Next, David attacked King Hadadezer of the Syrian state of Zobah, near the territory of Hamath, because Hadadezer was trying to gain control of the territory by the upper Euphrates River. 4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand cavalry troops, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He kept enough horses for a hundred chariots and crippled all the rest.
5 When the Syrians of Damascus sent an army to help King Hadadezer, David attacked it and killed twenty-two thousand men. 6 Then he set up military camps in their territory, and they became his subjects and paid taxes to him. The Lord made David victorious everywhere. 7 David captured the gold shields carried by Hadadezer's officials and took them to Jerusalem. 8 (B)He also took a great quantity of bronze from Tibhath and Kun, cities ruled by Hadadezer. (Solomon later used this bronze to make the tank, the columns, and the bronze utensils for the Temple.)
9 King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated Hadadezer's entire army. 10 So he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for his victory over Hadadezer, against whom Toi had fought many times. Joram brought David presents made of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David dedicated them for use in worship, along with the silver and gold he took from the nations he conquered—Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek.
12 (C)Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, defeated the Edomites in Salt Valley and killed eighteen thousand of them. 13 He set up military camps throughout Edom, and the people there became King David's subjects. The Lord made David victorious everywhere.
14 David ruled over all Israel and made sure that his people were always treated fairly and justly. 15 Abishai's brother Joab was commander of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records; 16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah[a] was court secretary; 17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of David's bodyguards; and King David's sons held high positions in his service.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 18:16 Probable text (see 2 S 8.17) Seraiah; Hebrew Shavsha.
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.
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