1 Chronicles 18

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

And it came to pass afterwards, that David struck the Philistines, and routed them, and took Geth and its villages out of the hand of the Philistines.

2 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].

And he struck Moab; and the Moabites became servants to David, [and] tributaries.

3 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.

And David struck Adraazar king of Suba of Emath, as he was going to establish power toward the river Euphrates.

4 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.

And David took of them a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand infantry: and David houghed all the chariot [horses], but there were reserved of them a hundred chariots.

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

And the Syrian came from Damascus to help Adraazar king of Suba; and David struck of the Syrian [army] twenty and two thousand men.

6 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.

And David put a garrison in Syria near Damascus; and they became tributary servants to David: and the Lord delivered David wherever he went.

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

And David took the golden collars that were on the servants of Adraazar, and brought them to Jerusalem.

8 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].

And David took out of Matabeth, and out of the chief cities of Adraazar very much brass: of this Solomon made the brazen sea, and the pillars, and the brazen vessels.

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

And Thoa king of Emath heard that David had struck the whole force of Adraazar king of Suba.

10 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.

And he sent Aduram his son to king David to ask how he was, and to congratulate him because he had fought against Adraazar, and struck him; for Thoa was the enemy of Adraazar.

11 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.

And all the golden and silver and brazen vessels, even these king David consecrated to the Lord, with the silver and the gold which he took from all the nations; from Idumaea, and Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalec.

12 [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.

And Abesa son of Saruia struck the Idumeans in the valley of Salt, eighteen thousand.

13 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.

And he put garrisons in the valley; and all the Idumaeans became David's servants: and the Lord delivered David wherever he went.

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

So David reigned over all Israel; and he executed judgment and justice to all his people.

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

And Joab the son of Saruia [was] over the army, and Josaphat the son of Achilud [was] recorder.

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

And Sadoc son of Achitob, and Achimelech son of Abiathar, [were] the priests; and Susa [was] the scribe;

17 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.

and Banaeas the son of Jodae [was] over the Cherethite and the Phelethite, and the sons of David were the chief deputies of the king.