1 Chronicles 18

1 Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines.

Some time later, David’s [army] attacked the army of Philistia and defeated them. They captured Gath [city] and the surrounding villages.

2 And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute.

His [army] also defeated [the army of] the Moab [people-group]. The people were forced to accept David as their ruler, and also to pay money [each year to David’s government, in order that David’s army would protect them].

3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah to Hamath, as he went to establish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

David’s [army] also fought against [the army of] Hadadezer, the king of [the] Zobah [region in Syria] near Hamath [city], when Hadadezer was trying to establish control over the area near the Euphrates River.

4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots.

David’s [army] captured 1,000 of Hadadezer’s chariots, 7,000 chariot-drivers, and 20,000 soldiers. They hamstrung/crippled most of their horses; there were only 100 horses that they did not cripple.

5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

When the army of Syria came from Damascus [city] to help Hadadezer’s [army], David’s soldiers killed 22,000 of them.

6 Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and brought tribute. Thus the LORD preserved David wherever he went.

Then David stationed groups of his soldiers in Damascus, and the people of Syria were forced to accept David as their ruler, and to pay to David’s government [each year] the payment/tax that he demanded. And Yahweh enabled David’s [army] to win battles everywhere they went.

7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

David soldiers took the gold shields that were carried by the officers of Hadadezer’s [army] and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, David brought very much brass, with which Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

They also brought from Tebah (OR, Tibhath) and Cun, two towns that belonged to Hadadezer, a lot of bronze, which [David’s son] Solomon [later] used to make the huge bronze basin and the pillars and other bronze items [for the temple].

9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;

When Tou, the king of Hamath [city in Syria], heard that David’s [army] had defeated the entire army of King Hadadezer,

10 He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for Hadarezer had warred with Tou; ) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.

he sent his son Hadoram to King David, to greet him and (congratulate him/tell him that he was happy) about his defeating Hadadezer’s army, which had been fighting [the army of] Tou. Hadoram brought to David many items/gifts made of gold, silver, and bronze.

11 Them also king David dedicated to the LORD, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.

King David dedicated those things to Yahweh, like he had done with the silver and gold that his soldiers had taken from [the] Edom and Moab [people-groups], and from the Ammon people-group and from the people of Philistia, and from [the descendants of] Amalek.

12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.

[One of David’s army commanders, ] Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, went with his army and killed 18,000 soldiers from Edom in the Salt Valley.

13 And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David’s servants. Thus the LORD preserved David wherever he went.

Then David stationed groups of his soldiers there in Edom, and the people of Edom were forced to accept David as their king and to pay money to David’s government [every year]. And Yahweh enabled David’s [army] to win battles wherever they went.

14 So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people.

David ruled over all the Israeli people, and he always did for them what was just and fair.

15 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder.

Zeruiah’s son Joab was the chief army commander. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the record-keeper.

16 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe;

Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were the Supreme Priests. Shavsha was the official secretary.

17 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada ruled over the Kereth and Peleth groups [who were David’s bodyguards]. And David’s sons were his most important officials.