1 Chronicles 18:4 Komentář

David's piety and his prayer we had an account of in the foregoing chapter; here follows immediately that which one might reasonably expect, an account of his prosperity; for those that seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, as David did, shall have other things added to them as far as God sees good for them. Here is, I. His prosperity abroad. He conquered the Philistines (Ch1 18:1), the Moabites (Ch1 18:2), the king of Zobah (Ch1 18:3, Ch1 18:4), the Syrians (Ch1 18:5-8), made the king of Hamath his tributary (Ch1 18:9-11), and the Edomites (Ch1 18:12, Ch1 18:13). II. His prosperity at home. His court and kingdom flourished (Ch1 18:14-17). All this we had an account of before, 2 Sa. 8.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 18 The eighteenth and nineteenth chapters are the same with Sa2 8:1 with very little variations, which are observed in the notes on them, to which the reader is referred.

David smites the Philistines, and takes Gath, Ch1 18:1. Reduces the Moabites, Ch1 18:2. Vanquishes Hadarezer, king of Zobah, Ch1 18:3, Ch1 18:4. Overcomes the Syrians of Damascus, and takes several of their cities, Ch1 18:5-8. Tou, king of Hamath, congratulates him on his victory, and sends him vessels of silver, gold, and brass, Ch1 18:9, Ch1 18:10. Those and the different spoils he had taken from the conquered nations, he dedicates to God, Ch1 18:11. Abishai defeats the Edomites, Ch1 18:12, Ch1 18:13. David reigns over all Israel, Ch1 18:14. His officers, Ch1 18:15-17.

DAVID SUBDUES THE PHILISTINES AND MOABITES. (Ch1 18:1-2) David . . . took Gath and her towns--The full extent of David's conquests in the Philistine territory is here distinctly stated, whereas in the parallel passage (Sa2 8:1) it was only described in a general way. Gath was the "Metheg-ammah," or "arm-bridle," as it is there called--either from its supremacy as the capital over the other Philistine towns, or because, in the capture of that important place and its dependencies, he obtained the complete control of his restless neighbors.

And David took from him a thousand chariots--(See on Sa2 8:3-14). In Sa2 8:4 David is said to have taken seven hundred horsemen, whereas here it is said that he took seven thousand. This great discrepancy in the text of the two narratives seems to have originated with a transcriber in confounding the two Hebrew letters which indicate the numbers, and in neglecting to mark or obscure the points over one of them. We have no means of ascertaining whether seven hundred or seven thousand be the more correct. Probably the former should be adopted [DAVIDSON'S HERMENUTICS]. but reserved of them an hundred chariots--probably to grace a triumphal procession on his return to Jerusalem, and after using them in that way, destroy them like the rest.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 18 The eighteenth and nineteenth chapters are the same with Sa2 8:1 with very little variations, which are observed in the notes on them, to which the reader is referred.