Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 18

Now after this it came to pass. —Literally, And it came to pass afterwards. This expression does not put the contents of this chapter into direct chronological sequence with those of the last. (Compare Note on 1 Chronicles 17:1.) The formula of the original history, from which both Samuel and Chronicles have derived a chief part of their substance, has been taken over without modification, after the manner of Oriental compilers. We may, therefore, regard the phrase as a mere mark of transition in the narrative.

Gath and her towns. —Hebrew, her daughters, that is, outlying dependencies. Samuel has, And David took the bridle [control, supremacy] of the metropolis [mother-city] out of the hand, etc. The chronicler or his authority has interpreted this curious expression (mètheg hâ’ammâh). If at the time Gath was the chief city of Philistia, and David made it recognise his suzerainty by payment of tribute, the phrases of both books are intelligible. In Solomon’s time Gath was ruled by a king, Achish (1 Kings 2:39), but he was hardly independent of Solomon. (Compare 1 Kings 4:24.) The general sense is the same if mètheg hâ’ammâh is rendered the bridle of the arm — i.e., the sovereign control, or supremacy.

Subjugation of the Philistines, Moabites, and Arameans of Zobah.

This account is much abridged compared to Samuel. After the words “he smote Moab,” we read in Samuel of a partial massacre of the conquered. The omission is scarcely due to any unfair bias on the part of the chronicler. Indeed, as a Jew, possessed with all the national exclusiveness and hatred of the aliens who always misunderstood and sometimes cruelly oppressed his people, he was not likely to regard the slaughter of captive Moabites from a modern point of view. (Ezra 6:9–10; Nehemiah 2:19; Nehemiah 2:4; Nehemiah 2:6; Nehemiah 2:13) Besides, he has related the cruel treatment of the Ammonite prisoners (1 Chronicles 20:3). (See the prophecy in Numbers 24:17.)

And the Moabites became. —Literally, and they became —that is, Moab. The name of the country denotes the people. Samuel has “and Moab [that is, the country] became” (verb singular feminine).

David’s servants. —Samuel has, “to David for servants.”

And brought gifts. —Literally, bringers of an offering —that is, tribute. Similar notices are common in the Assyrian inscriptions. (Compare 1 Kings 4:21; 2 Kings 3:4; and the famous Moabite inscription, fragments of which are now in the Louvre, and which records Mesha’s revolt against the successor of Ahab.)

Hadarezer. —Samuel has “Hadadezer” (Hadad is help), which is correct. Hadad was a Syrian god, identical with Dadda (Rimmon), worshipped from the Euphrates to Edom and North Arabia. Compare the royal names Benhadad and Abdadad (that is, servant of Hadad, like Obadiah, servant of Iahu), the latter of which occurs on Syrian coins, and the Notes on 2 Kings 5:18 and 1 Chronicles 1:46. Samuel adds, “son of Rehob.”

Zobah to Hamath. —Rather, Zobah towards Hamath. The word (Hămáth âh; not in Samuel) defines the position of Zobah. (Compare 2 Samuel 8:8 and Ezekiel 47:16.) The town of Zobah lay somewhere near Emesa (Horns), and not far from the present Yabrûd, northeast of Damascus. (The Assyrian monarch Assurbanipal mentions the towns of Yabrudu and Cubiti—that is, Zobah—in his Annals.) Its kings are spoken of in 1 Samuel 14:47. Hadadezer appears to have brought the whole country under a single sceptre.

Hamath. —See 1 Chronicles 13:5 and 2 Chronicles 8:4. The town lay in the valley of the Upper Orontes, west of Zobah, and north of Hermon and Damascus.

As he (Hadadezer) went. —The occasion intended appears to be that of which the particulars are given at 1 Chronicles 19:16–19.

To establish his dominion. —Hebrew, to set up his hand—that is, “his power.” Samuel has a different word, to recover his power, or repeat his attack.

The river Euphrates. —The Hebrew text of Samuel has “the river.” Our text explains.

A thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen. —Hebrew text of Samuel, “a thousand and seven hundred horsemen.” The territory of Zobah lay somewhere in the great plain of Aram. Hadadezer would, therefore, be strong in chariots and horses, and our reading is probably correct. (Compare to 1 Chronicles 19:18.)

Houghed. — Hamstrung — i.e., cut the sinews of the hind legs, so as to disable them.

Chariot horses. —The same Hebrew term has just been rendered chariots. It also means chariot soldiers.

David reserved a hundred chariots, with their horses, probably for his own use. Horses were always a luxury in Israel. (Compare to Isaiah 2:7.) Solomon recruited his stud from Egypt. (Compare to the prohibition, Deuteronomy 17:16.)