1 Chronicles 18
New Century Version
David Defeats Nations
18 Later, David defeated the Philistines, conquered them, and took the city of Gath and the small towns around it.
2 He also defeated the people of Moab. So the people of Moab became servants of David and gave him the payment he demanded.
3 David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah all the way to the town of Hamath as he tried to spread his kingdom to the Euphrates River. 4 David captured one thousand of his chariots, seven thousand men who rode in chariots, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He crippled all but a hundred of the chariot horses.
5 Arameans from Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, but David killed twenty-two thousand of them. 6 Then David put groups of soldiers in Damascus in Aram. The Arameans became David’s servants and gave him the payments he demanded. So the Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.
7 David took the shields of gold that had belonged to Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 David also took many things made of bronze from Tebah and Cun, which had been cities under Hadadezer’s control. Later, Solomon used this bronze to make things for the Temple: the large bronze bowl, which was called the Sea, the pillars, and other bronze utensils.
9 Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah. 10 So Toi sent his son Hadoram to greet and congratulate King David for defeating Hadadezer. (Hadadezer had been at war with Toi.) Hadoram brought items made of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David gave them to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had taken from these nations: Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.
12 Abishai son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 David put groups of soldiers in Edom, and all the Edomites became his servants. The Lord gave David victory everywhere he went.
David’s Important Officers
14 David was king over all of Israel, and he did what was fair and right for all his people. 15 Joab son of Zeruiah was commander over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder. 16 Zadok son of Ahitub and Abiathar son of Ahimelech were priests. Shavsha was the royal secretary. 17 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites.[a] And David’s sons were important officers who served at his side.
Footnotes
- 18:17 Kerethites and Pelethites These were probably special units of the army that were responsible for the king’s safety, a kind of palace guard.
1 Chronicles 18
New King James Version
David’s Further Conquests(A)
18 After this (B)it came to pass that David [a]attacked the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its towns from the hand of the Philistines. 2 Then he [b]defeated (C)Moab, and the Moabites became David’s (D)servants, and brought tribute.
3 And (E)David [c]defeated [d]Hadadezer king of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to establish his power by the River Euphrates. 4 David took from him one thousand chariots, [e]seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. Also David [f]hamstrung all the chariot horses, except that he spared enough of them for one hundred chariots.
5 When the (F)Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. So the Lord preserved David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Also from [g]Tibhath and from [h]Chun, cities of [i]Hadadezer, David brought a large amount of (G)bronze, with which (H)Solomon made the bronze [j]Sea, the pillars, and the articles of bronze.
9 Now when [k]Tou king of Hamath heard that David had [l]defeated all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 10 he sent [m]Hadoram his son to King David, to greet him and bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and [n]defeated him (for Hadadezer had been at war with Tou); and Hadoram brought with him all kinds of (I)articles of gold, silver, and bronze. 11 King David also dedicated these to the Lord, along with the silver and gold that he had brought from all these nations—from Edom, from Moab, from the (J)people of Ammon, from the (K)Philistines, and from (L)Amalek.
12 Moreover (M)Abishai the son of Zeruiah killed (N)eighteen thousand [o]Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13 (O)He also put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord preserved David wherever he went.
David’s Administration(P)
14 So David reigned over all Israel, and administered judgment and justice to all his people. 15 Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 16 Zadok the son of Ahitub and [p]Abimelech the son of Abiathar were the priests; [q]Shavsha was the scribe; 17 (Q)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were [r]chief ministers at the king’s side.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 18:1 Lit. struck
- 1 Chronicles 18:2 Lit. struck
- 1 Chronicles 18:3 Lit. struck
- 1 Chronicles 18:3 Heb. Hadarezer
- 1 Chronicles 18:4 seven hundred, 2 Sam. 8:4
- 1 Chronicles 18:4 crippled
- 1 Chronicles 18:8 Betah, 2 Sam. 8:8
- 1 Chronicles 18:8 Berothai, 2 Sam. 8:8
- 1 Chronicles 18:8 Heb. Hadarezer
- 1 Chronicles 18:8 Great laver or basin
- 1 Chronicles 18:9 Toi, 2 Sam. 8:9, 10
- 1 Chronicles 18:9 Lit. struck
- 1 Chronicles 18:10 Joram, 2 Sam. 8:10
- 1 Chronicles 18:10 Lit. struck
- 1 Chronicles 18:12 Syrians, 2 Sam. 8:13
- 1 Chronicles 18:16 Ahimelech, 2 Sam. 8:17
- 1 Chronicles 18:16 Seraiah, 2 Sam. 8:17, or Shisha, 1 Kin. 4:3
- 1 Chronicles 18:17 Lit. at the hand of the king
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
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
