16.27, 29 His place (v. 27) replaces “his sanctuary” in Ps 96.6, just as before him (v. 29) replaces “into his courts” in Ps 96.8. Without these changes the poem would refer to a temple that had not yet been built. There were no sacrifices at Jerusalem, only the ark and a tent and the service of song.
16.31–33 Cf. Ps 96.11–13. A call to cosmic praise.
16.34–36 Cf. Ps 106.1, 47–48. Most of Ps 106, which recites a long history of Israel’s sinful nature and God’s decision to hand Israel over to the enemy, is omitted.
16.34 This verse serves as a refrain in Chronicles (cf. v. 41; note on 2 Chr 5.13).
16.35 Of our salvation and rescue us, added by Chronicles to the text of Ps 106. Deliverance from Persian domination may have been a bigger issue at the Chronicler’s time than Israel’s dispersal, but the author avoided an explicit attack against the Persians.
16.37–42 Appointment of cultic personnel in Jerusalem and Gibeon.
16.39 Cf. 21.29; 2 Chr 1.3–6.
16.39–40 The morning and evening sacrifices, required by the Torah (Ex 29.38–42; Num 28.3–8), are practiced in the time of David at Gibeon. The presence of the tabernacle and altar in Gibeon makes Solomon’s visit there (2 Chr 1.3) appropriate.
16.43 Cf. 2 Sam 6.19b–20a. Everyone’s return home brings the ark story to an end. Chronicles omits David’s altercation with his wife Michal in 2 Sam 6.20b–23.
1 CHRONICLES 17
God’s Covenant with David
1Now when David settled in his house, David said to the prophet Nathan, “I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent.” 2Nathan said to David, “Do all that you have in mind, for God is with you.”
3But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying: 4Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: You shall not build me a house to live in. 5For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought out Israel to this very day, but I have lived in a tent and a tabernacle.e 6Wherever I have moved about among all Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar? 7Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people Israel; 8and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies before you; and I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 9I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall wear them down no more, as they did formerly, 10from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will subdue all your enemies.
Moreover I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house. 11When your days are fulfilled to go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, 14but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever. 15In accordance with all these words and all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
David’s Prayer
16Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 17And even this was a small thing in your sight, O God; you have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come. You regard me as someone of high rank,f O LORD God! 18And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? You know your servant. 19For your servant’s sake, O LORD, and according to your own heart, you have done all these great deeds, making known all these great things. 20There is no one like you, O LORD, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21Who is like your people Israel, one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and terrible things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt? 22And you made your people Israel to be your people forever; and you, O LORD, became their God.
23“And now, O LORD, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as you have promised. 24Thus your name will be established and magnified forever in the saying, ‘The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God’ and the house of your servant David will be established in your presence. 25For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him; therefore your servant has found it possible to pray before you. 26And now, O LORD, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant; 27therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you. For you, O LORD, have blessed and are blessedg forever.”
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e Gk 2 Sam 7.6: Heb but I have been from tent to tent and from tabernacle
f Meaning of Heb uncertain
g Or and it is blessed
17.1–15 Cf. 2 Sam 7.1–17. In response to David’s desire to build a temple (house) for the Lord, the Lord promises to give David an everlasting dynasty (house).
17.1 House in Hebrew means both temple and dynasty. Chronicles omits “the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him” (2 Sam 7.1). Additional wars of David appear in chs. 18–20, and only their successful conclusion creates a time for temple building. David is disqualified as temple builder because of his warfare (22.8), and Solomon is the man of rest (22.9). Note also the substitution of the verb subdue in v. 10 for “give you rest” in 2 Sam 7.11.
17.4 Not, a change in Chronicles, although the question posed in 2 Sam 7.5 (“Are you the one to build me a house to live in?”) has much the same effect. Not already appears in the Septuagint of Samuel.
17.6 Judges. The Hebrew of 2 Sam 7.7 has “tribes,” although the NRSV there reads “tribal leaders,” following the Septuagint.
17.9 Wear them down. 2 Sam 7.10 reads “afflict them.”
17.10 Subdue. See note on 17.1. I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house. 2 Sam 7.11 reads “the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house.” In this case house in Chronicles means temple; in Samuel it refers to the dynasty.
17.11 One of your own sons. 2 Sam 7.12 reads “who shall come forth from your body.”
17.13a Chronicles leaves out at this point materials from 2 Sam 7.14: “When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings.” This conforms to the Chronicler’s omission elsewhere of negative reports about David and Solomon.
17.14 I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne…forever. 2 Sam 7.16 reads “Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne…forever.” The focus in Chronicles is on Solomon, not David. Again, house in Chronicles means temple; in Samuel it means dynasty. The kingdom in Chronicles refers to God’s kingdom, not David’s.
17.16–27 Cf. 2 Sam 7.18–29. In David’s prayer in response to Nathan’s oracle, God’s power, shown in the exodus, is hailed as the authority behind David’s dynasty.
17.16 House in the prayer always refers to the dynasty. Cf. vv. 17, 23, 24, 25, 27.
17.21–23 The exodus from Egypt guarantees the promises made to David. In the accounts of Solomon, the promise to David becomes the basis for the entire relationship between God and Israel.
1 CHRONICLES 18
David’s Kingdom Established and Extended
1Some time afterward, David attacked the Philistines and subdued them; he took Gath and its villages from the Philistines.
2He defeated Moab, and the Moabites became subject to David and brought tribute.
3David also struck down King Hadadezer of Zobah, toward Hamath,a as he went
to set up a monument at the river Euphrates. 4David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand cavalry, and twenty thousand foot soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left one hundred of them. 5When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand Arameans. 6Then David put garrisonsb in Aram of Damascus; and the Arameans became subject to David, and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. 7David took the gold shields that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. 8From Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a vast quantity of bronze; with it Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze.
9When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of King Hadadezer of Zobah, 10he sent his son Hadoram to King David, to greet him and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him. Now Hadadezer had often been at war with Tou. He sent all sorts of articles of gold, of silver, and of bronze; 11these also King David dedicated to the LORD, together with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations, from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.
12Abishai son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 13He put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became subject to David. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.
David’s Administration
14So David reigned over all Israel; and he administered justice and equity to all his people. 15Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 16Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was secretary; 17Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were the chief officials in the service of the king.
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a Meaning of Heb uncertain
b Gk Vg 2 Sam 8.6 Compare Syr: Heb lacks garrisons
18.1–13 Cf. 2 Sam 8.1–14. In the following three chapters the wars demonstrate why David was unfit to build the temple.
18.1 Gath and its villages replaces the obscure “Metheg-ammah” of 2 Sam 8.1.
18.2 Moab, a country east of the Dead Sea. David’s harsh treatment of the Moabites in 2 Sam 8.2 is omitted.
18.3 Hadadezer, an Aramean (Syrian) king located in the Lebanese Beqaa Valley.
18.4 Since the cavalry is not yet a major factor in warfare, David destroys the captured horses.
18.6 The victories given to David fulfill the promise of 17.10. Cf. 18.13; 19.13.
18.8 David’s war spoils are used by Solomon to prepare various items for the temple. Cf. v. 11. This information is lacking in the parallel Hebrew text of Samuel but is attested in the Septuagint and in Josephus.
18.9–10 Another Aramean king hears of David’s victories and voluntarily sends him tribute.
18.11 Edom. 2 Sam 8.12 reads “Aram” (Syria), though the Septuagint has “Idumea” (Edom).
18.12–13 Abishai, David’s nephew and commander of the “Thirty” (11.20–21). He and his brothers Asahel and Joab are courageous and, at times, foolhardy. Edom was located south of Judah and Moab. In 2 Sam 8.13 David himself is credited with these victories.
18.14–17 Cf. 2 Sam 8.15–18. This list of royal officials reveals the growing complexity of David’s administration.
18.15a David entrusts command of the army to his nephew Joab.
18.16 Zadok…priests. The text of Chronicles has been damaged. David has two high priests, Zadok and Abiathar, but not Ahimelech.
18.17 Benaiah, a local commander who supported Solomon in his battle with Adonijah for the throne; he became the commander of the army after he had executed Joab (1 Kings 2.34–35). He also leads foreign mercenary groups such as the Cherethites and the Pelethites.
1 CHRONICLES 19
Defeat of the Ammonites and Arameans
1Some time afterward, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him. 2David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun son of Nahash, for his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. When David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites, to console him, 3the officials of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Do you think, because David has sent consolers to you, that he is honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?” 4So Hanun seized David’s servants, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at their hips, and sent them away; 5and they departed. When David was told about the men, he sent messengers to them, for they felt greatly humiliated. The king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”
6When the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and cavalry from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah and from Zobah. 7They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and camped before Medeba. And the Ammonites were mustered from their cities and came to battle. 8When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the warriors. 9The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.
10When Joab saw that the line of battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the picked men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans; 11the rest of his troops he put in the charge of his brother Abishai, and they were arrayed against the Ammonites. 12He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13Be strong, and let us be courageous for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what seems good to him.” 14So Joab and the troops who were with him advanced toward the Arameans for battle; and they fled before him. 15When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, Joab’s brother, and entered the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.
16But when the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. 17When David was informed, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan, came to them, and drew up his forces against them. When David set the battle in array against the Arameans, they fought with him. 18The Arameans fled before Israel; and David killed seven thousand Aramean charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers, and also killed Shophach the commander of their army. 19When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David, and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites any more.
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19.1–20.3 Cf. 2 Sam 10.1–19; 11.1; 12.26, 30, 31. David’s additional victories demonstrate God’s blessing of the king, but they also show why he is barred from building the temple. The Chronicler omits David’s affair with Bathsheba, which took place in the course of his Ammonite wars, as well as his murder of her husband, Uriah, and its aftermath. The Chronicler also excludes 2 Sam 9, which indicates that Mephibosheth, a member of Saul’s family, survived the battle of Gilboa. Similarly, 2 Sam 13.1–21.17 is omitted both because it refers to the “trouble…from within your own house” (2 Sam 12.10–11) that befell David because of his transgressions, and because it indicates that all Israel, including the king’s own sons, did not support him. Thus we hear nothing in Chronicles about the rape of Tamar, Absalom’s murder of Amnon, Absalom’s revolt and death and the aftermath of that rebellion, David’s role in handing over the descendants of Saul to the Gibeonites, and an anecdote in which David is captured and nearly killed.
19.1 Nahash, an opponent of Saul (1 Sam 11). The Ammonites lived north and east of Moab; their name is echoed in the modern city of Amman.
19.2–5 A group sent by David to express official grief is shamefully treated by the Ammonites.
19
.6–9 Hanun hires mercenaries to fight David.
19.7 The thirty-two thousand chariots are an escalation of the thirty-three thousand infantry hired according to 2 Sam 10.6. This text already appears in a manuscript of Samuel among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Cf. also David’s destruction of seven thousand charioteers (v. 18) with the parallel account in 2 Sam 10.18 and its seven hundred chariot teams. Again the Chronicler seems to have been working with an alternate form of the Hebrew text of 2 Samuel.
19.10–15 When Joab takes on the Arameans and his brother Abishai opposes the Ammonites, the two brothers pledge themselves to mutual aid. Both enemy armies flee.
19.16–19 The defeated Arameans summon more of their kin living beyond the Euphrates. David leads all Israel against them, killing some forty-seven thousand Arameans. As a result the Arameans sue David for peace and no longer assist the Ammonites.
1 CHRONICLES 20
Siege and Capture of Rabbah
1In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army, ravaged the country of the Ammonites, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah, and overthrew it. 2David took the crown of Milcoma from his head; he found that it weighed a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. He also brought out the booty of the city, a very great amount. 3He brought out the people who were in it, and set them to workb with saws and iron picks and axes.c Thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
Exploits against the Philistines
HarperCollins Study Bible Page 166
