Era 6 · The First Kings1 Chronicles
David's Wars and Administration
"And David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice"
David takes Gath from the Philistines, subdues Moab, and defeats Hadarezer of Zobah at Hamath. "And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots."
"From Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass." Tou king of Hamath sends gifts; David dedicates them to the LORD.
Abishai kills 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. Joab over the army, Jehoshaphat recorder, Zadok and Abimelech priests, Shavsha scribe, Benaiah over the Cherethites and Pelethites, "and the sons of David were chief about the king."
Numbers in parallel
2 Samuel 8:4 has 1,700 horsemen; Chronicles 1,000 chariots and 7,000 horsemen. See the 2 Samuel passage page.
"Chief about the king"
2 Samuel 8:18 says David's sons were "priests" (kohanim); Chronicles says they were "chief about the king," avoiding non-Levitical priests.
Who killed the Edomites?
2 Samuel 8:13 credits David; Psalm 60's heading credits Joab (12,000); Chronicles credits Abishai (18,000).
What the evidence shows
- Chronicles avoids calling David's sons priests.
- Chronicles links Hadarezer's bronze to Solomon's temple. Not in 2 Samuel.
Continue the journey
Journey of a Passage2 Samuel 8:4; 10:18: Horsemen and chariots: Samuel, the Greek and ChroniclesIn 8:4 the Hebrew has 1,700 horsemen; the library's Greek and 1 Chronicles 18:4 have 1,000 chariots and 7,000 horsemen.More from this lesson
Why this matters to the rest of Scripture
- The parallel.
- Psalm 60 (title)Joab and the Valley of Salt.