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1 CHRONICLES • CHAPTER 18
1 Chronicles 18
Genealogies, David, worship, priestly organization, Jerusalem, and a retelling of Israel's past centered on temple identity.
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1 Chronicles 18
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1
After this, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines.
2
He defeated Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David, and brought tribute.
3
David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah to Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates.
4
David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them enough for one hundred chariots.
5
When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians.
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Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.
7
David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.
8
From Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took very much bronze, with which Solomon made the bronze sea, the pillars, and the vessels of bronze.
9
When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the army of Hadadezer king of Zobah,
10
he sent Hadoram his son to king David, to Greet him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and struck him (for Hadadezer had wars with Tou); and he had with him all kinds of vessels of gold and silver and bronze.
11
King David also dedicated these to Yahweh, with the silver and the gold that he carried away from all the nations; from Edom, from Moab, from the children of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amalek.
12
Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah struck eighteen thousand of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
13
He put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became servants to David. Yahweh gave victory to David wherever he went.
14
David reigned over all Israel; and he executed justice and righteousness for all his people.
15
Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;
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Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were priests; Shavsha was scribe;
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and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief officials serving the king.
HISTORICAL
Where this chapter fits
1 Chronicles belongs to the Bible's historical narrative tradition, where theology, politics, memory, warfare, leadership, and national identity are intertwined.
Chapter numbers were added long after the biblical books were written.
Read this chapter together with what comes immediately before and after it.
ANCIENT TEXT, MODERN QUESTIONS
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Scientific claims should be compared with science.
Moral claims should be examined morally.
Theological claims require theological and philosophical argument.
QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING
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What kind of literature is this?
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What historical evidence matters?
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What are the strongest competing interpretations?
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