1 Chronicles 18:3 kjv
And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.
1 Chronicles 18:3 nkjv
And David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah as far as Hamath, as he went to establish his power by the River Euphrates.
1 Chronicles 18:3 niv
Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, in the vicinity of Hamath, when he went to set up his monument at the Euphrates River.
1 Chronicles 18:3 esv
David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah-Hamath, as he went to set up his monument at the river Euphrates.
1 Chronicles 18:3 nlt
David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer, king of Zobah, as far as Hamath, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River.
1 Chronicles 18 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 8:3-4 | David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah… seizing... | Parallel account, details of victory |
| Gen 15:18 | From the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates | Divine promise of land boundaries |
| Exod 23:31 | I will set your bounds from the Red Sea... to the River | God establishing territorial borders |
| Deut 1:7 | Go... to the great river, the River Euphrates | Command to possess promised land |
| Deut 11:24 | Every place on which the sole of your foot treads... | All land, up to Euphrates, promised for obedience |
| Josh 1:4 | From the wilderness... as far as the great river... | Promised land extent confirmed for Joshua |
| 2 Sam 5:10 | David became greater and greater, for the LORD God... | God's presence and support for David |
| Ps 18:34-39 | He trains my hands for war, so that my arms... | God empowering David for battle |
| Ps 144:1 | Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war | Divine assistance in conquest |
| 1 Kgs 4:21 | Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates... | Fulfillment of David's territorial conquests |
| 1 Chron 18:8 | From Tibhath and Cun... David took a great quantity... | Spoils of this specific victory used for temple |
| 2 Sam 10:16 | Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond... | Hadadezer's regional power and alliances |
| Ps 72:8 | May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River... | Messianic King's universal dominion echoes David |
| 1 Sam 16:13 | Samuel took the horn of oil... and anointed him... | David's divine appointment for his rule |
| 2 Sam 7:11-16 | The LORD will make you a house... establish your kingdom... | God's eternal covenant with David's house |
| Isa 9:7 | Of the increase of his government and of peace... | Prophecy of kingdom expansion and peace (Messianic) |
| Ps 110:1 | The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until..." | Subduing enemies, a divine king's prerogative |
| 2 Chron 9:26 | Solomon ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates... | Solomon inheriting expanded realm (from David) |
| Zech 9:10 | His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River... | Prophecy of king's dominion, linking to Ps 72:8 |
| Num 24:18-19 | Edom shall be a possession... out of Jacob shall come he... | Balaam's prophecy of a victorious Israelite king |
| Lev 26:6-8 | I will give peace in the land... you shall chase your... | Blessings of peace and victory for obedience |
| Amos 6:13-14 | You rejoice in Lo-debar... who will bring against you... | Divine judgment using nations as instruments (inverse) |
| Isa 27:12 | From the Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt, O children... | God's future gathering of His dispersed people within these borders |
1 Chronicles 18 verses
1 Chronicles 18 3 Meaning
1 Chronicles 18:3 records a significant military achievement of King David: his defeat of Hadadezer, the king of the powerful Aramean kingdom of Zobah. This victory extended Israel's territorial influence dramatically northward to the region of Hamath. The verse specifically notes that David's action was undertaken "to establish his power by the river Euphrates," indicating a strategic goal of asserting dominion and claiming the ancient, divinely promised eastern boundary for the land of Israel, bringing a substantial portion of God's covenant into physical reality under David's reign.
1 Chronicles 18 3 Context
1 Chronicles 18 inaugurates a section detailing King David's extensive military victories, immediately following the consolidation of his rule in Jerusalem (Chapters 11-14) and the significant event of bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (Chapters 15-16). This chapter highlights the Lord's consistent help in all of David's campaigns, enabling him to establish Israel as a preeminent regional power. The defeat of Hadadezer of Zobah was particularly crucial, as Zobah was a formidable Aramean rival controlling strategic areas north of Israel. These conquests signify the fulfillment of the divine promise to Abraham regarding the extensive boundaries of the land of Israel, reaching the Euphrates, thereby laying the territorial groundwork for the prosperous and unified kingdom under Solomon.
1 Chronicles 18 3 Word analysis
- David: The anointed king of Israel, central to God's plan for establishing a kingdom. His actions are divinely sanctioned and empowered.
- also defeated: From the Hebrew verb nakah (נָכָה), meaning "to strike, to smite, to defeat decisively." It signifies a definitive military triumph, attributing the power and outcome to God's work through David.
- Hadadezer: (Hebrew: הֲדַדְעֶ֫זֶר, Hadad'ezer) "Hadad is help." The king of Zobah, a powerful Aramean ruler whose name invokes the pagan storm god Hadad. His defeat marked a significant victory over a strong pagan kingdom opposing Israel's expansion.
- king of Zobah: Zobah (Hebrew: צוֹבָה, Tsovah) was a prominent Aramean state in southern Syria, vying for control of the region and its vital trade routes. Its subjugation by David was critical for Israel's northern security and economic interests.
- as far as Hamath: Hamath (Hebrew: חֲמָת, Chamat) a strategically important city situated on the Orontes River, far north of Israel. This phrase indicates the vast geographical reach of David's conquest and the extent of Israel's new sphere of influence.
- as he went: Connects David's personal initiative and leadership in this campaign.
- to establish his power: (Hebrew: לְהָצִיב יָדוֹ, lehatziv yado) Literally, "to set up his hand" or "to set up his dominion/monument." This specific phrasing in Chronicles emphasizes David's active role in asserting Israelite sovereignty and dominion. It stands in contrast to the parallel account in 2 Samuel 8:3 which reads "to restore his monument/border" (לְהָשִׁיב יָדוֹ, l'hashiv yado), potentially referring to Hadadezer's attempt to restore his own border which David intercepted, or David himself restoring Israel's ancient claims. The Chronicler focuses on David's proactive establishment of legitimate Israelite authority and claim to the land's full extent. "Hand" symbolizes authority, power, or presence.
- by the river Euphrates: (Hebrew: נְהַר פְּרָת, nahar Prath) The Euphrates (Hebrew: פְרָת, Prath) is the major river forming the ancient eastern boundary promised by God to Abraham (Gen 15:18) and later reaffirmed. David's campaign, extending Israel's reach towards or even up to this river, was a partial but significant fulfillment of this ancient covenant promise concerning the extent of the land.
Words-group analysis:
- "David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah": This phrase immediately identifies the key players and the victorious outcome. It positions David as the divinely appointed leader through whom Israel achieved regional dominance by overcoming a major political and military threat from the north.
- "as far as Hamath, as he went to establish his power by the river Euphrates": This clause provides both the geographical scope and the overarching theological and political purpose of David's campaign. The victory wasn't merely local but was driven by the intent to solidify Israel's claims up to its biblically prophesied eastern border, the Euphrates, demonstrating David's understanding and pursuit of God's covenant promises. This act was one of strategic establishment of legitimate rule and fulfilling divine intention.
1 Chronicles 18 3 Bonus section
The chronicler's narrative in 1 Chronicles often aims to present David's reign in the most favorable light, emphasizing his piety, covenant faithfulness, and the divine support behind his endeavors. The specific change in wording from 2 Samuel 8:3 to 1 Chronicles 18:3 regarding David's purpose ("to establish his power" versus "to restore his monument/border") reflects this theological agenda. The Chronicler emphasizes David's God-given mandate to actively claim and expand the boundaries of the kingdom to its promised extent, signifying Israel's God-ordained sovereignty over its territory. This deliberate linguistic choice highlights God's continuous work through David to realize the full extent of the Abrahamic and Mosaic land promises, cementing David's legacy as a king deeply intertwined with the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan for His people.
1 Chronicles 18 3 Commentary
1 Chronicles 18:3 concisely describes a pivotal event in David's reign that fundamentally shaped the boundaries and influence of the united kingdom of Israel. The Chronicler, focusing on God's faithful working through the Davidic dynasty, presents this victory over Hadadezer not just as a military success, but as an intentional act of "establishing power" that began to realize the long-promised eastern limits of Israel's land, extending to the Euphrates River. This interpretation underscores David's active role in fulfilling covenant prophecy and securing critical geopolitical advantages. The strategic significance of defeating Zobah also facilitated access to resources, strengthened Israel's position against other Aramean states, and prepared the way for the era of unparalleled peace and prosperity under King Solomon. It demonstrates that David's expansion was not simply for personal glory but for the covenantal purpose of Israel.