1 Chronicles 18:5 kjv
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
1 Chronicles 18:5 nkjv
When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand of the Syrians.
1 Chronicles 18:5 niv
When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them.
1 Chronicles 18:5 esv
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians.
1 Chronicles 18:5 nlt
When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them.
1 Chronicles 18 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 8:5-6 | "When the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah...David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus..." | Parallel account, God gives David victory |
| 1 Chr 18:3 | "David also struck Hadadezer king of Zobah..." | Context: David's initial conquest of Zobah |
| 1 Chr 18:6 | "Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants..." | Consequences: Syrians under Israelite dominion |
| 2 Sam 8:13-14 | "So David made a name for himself...He put garrisons throughout Edom..." | David's widespread conquests through God |
| Ps 18:34 | "He teaches my hands to make war; my arms can bend a bow of bronze." | God empowering David in battle |
| Ps 144:1 | "Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war..." | David acknowledging God as his strength |
| Gen 15:18 | "On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: 'To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates...'" | Fulfillment of the promised land boundaries |
| Deut 11:25 | "No man shall be able to stand against you; the LORD your God will put the dread of you..." | God giving Israel victory over enemies |
| Josh 23:10 | "One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you..." | God fights for His people |
| 1 Sam 17:47 | "Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear..." | God grants victory, not human strength |
| Isa 9:7 | "Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom..." | Prophecy of the enduring Davidic reign |
| Zech 9:10 | "He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be 'from sea to sea'..." | Messianic reign, broader peace and dominion |
| Ps 2:8 | "Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance..." | Messianic promise of universal dominion |
| 2 Sam 7:9 | "And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you..." | God's constant presence and help to David |
| 1 Chr 22:9 | "Behold, a son shall be born to you...I will give him peace and quiet from all his enemies all around." | David's victories paving way for Solomon's peace |
| Ps 89:27 | "Also I will make him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth." | God exalting His chosen king |
| Prov 21:31 | "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the LORD." | Victory depends on God's favor |
| Hab 3:19 | "The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet..." | God provides strength in combat |
| Eph 6:10 | "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." | Believer's strength in God for spiritual battles |
| Rom 8:37 | "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." | Overcoming by Christ's power |
1 Chronicles 18 verses
1 Chronicles 18 5 Meaning
1 Chronicles 18:5 describes King David's decisive victory over the Aramean forces from Damascus who came to aid Hadadezer, king of Zobah. This battle resulted in a significant defeat for the Syrians, with twenty-two thousand of their men killed, solidifying David's regional dominance and extending the boundaries of the Israelite kingdom.
1 Chronicles 18 5 Context
1 Chronicles 18 details David's significant military campaigns that established Israel's dominance over surrounding nations. Following the capture of Metheg Ammah (Gath) from the Philistines and a campaign against Moab, David turned his attention northward. The primary conflict in this chapter, initiated in 1 Chronicles 18:3, is with Hadadezer king of Zobah. Zobah was a powerful Aramean kingdom. Verse 5 specifically recounts the intervention of the Syrians from Damascus who came to reinforce Hadadezer, leading to another major confrontation for David. This victory was crucial as it consolidated David's control over a wide region, including Aram, bringing the long-promised land boundaries closer to fulfillment. This chapter also prefaces the massive accumulation of spoils and resources that David later dedicated for the future temple building project by his son Solomon.
1 Chronicles 18 5 Word analysis
When: (כִּי, ki) - Establishes a temporal relationship, indicating the timing of the Syrians' arrival in response to David's initial engagement with Zobah. It emphasizes that their intervention led to this specific decisive engagement.
the Syrians of Damascus: (אֲרַם דַּמֶּשֶׂק, Aram Dammesheq) -
- Syrians (אֲרַם, Aram): Refers to the Arameans, a Semitic people inhabiting Mesopotamia and Syria. This identifies their ethnic origin.
- Damascus (דַּמֶּשֶׂק, Dammesheq): A major and influential city-state, indicating a specific political entity and a significant regional power allied with Zobah. Their involvement underscores the regional nature of David's campaigns.
came to help: (לַעְזֹר, la‘azor) - Implies their military intervention was an act of alliance or reinforcement to assist Hadadezer against David's expanding kingdom. This highlights the united resistance David faced.
Hadadezer king of Zobah: (הֲדַדְעֶזֶר מֶלֶךְ צוֹבָה, Hadad'ezer Melekh Tsovah) -
- Hadadezer (הֲדַדְעֶזֶר, Hadad'ezer): "Hadad is help." His name invokes the Aramean storm god, Hadad. David's victory implicitly demonstrates the superiority of Yahweh over Hadad.
- king of Zobah: Identifies him as the reigning monarch of a significant Aramean kingdom, making him a primary rival to David's emerging empire in the north.
David: (דָּוִיד, Daviyd) - The anointed king of Israel. His leadership and God's power working through him are central to these victories, signifying divine endorsement of his rule.
killed: (וַיַּךְ, vayyakh) - Literally "and he struck down." Denotes decisive military action and complete defeat. It reflects David's prowess as a divinely appointed warrior.
twenty-two thousand men: (וַיַּךְ מִן־אֲרָם עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם אֶלֶף אִישׁ, vayyakh min-’Aram ‘esriym u-shnayim ’elef ’iysh) - A significant number emphasizing the scale of the defeat. The precision of the number (22,000) underscores the thoroughness of the victory.
of the Syrians: (מִן־אֲרָם, min-’Aram) - Reaffirms the identity of the defeated forces as the Aramean contingent.
Words-group Analysis:
- "the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah": This phrase illuminates the political landscape of the Ancient Near East during David's reign, showcasing regional alliances formed against a rising Israelite power. It reveals that David was not merely conquering isolated kingdoms but overcoming coalition forces.
- "David killed twenty-two thousand men of the Syrians": This highlights David's military effectiveness, attributed to God's hand upon him. The scale of casualties underscores a complete rout, demonstrating Israel's new strength and God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises of granting victory to His anointed king.
1 Chronicles 18 5 Bonus section
- The number "twenty-two thousand" in 1 Chronicles 18:5 differs slightly from the parallel account in 2 Samuel 8:5, which states "twenty thousand men." Such minor variations in ancient texts regarding numerical figures are common and generally reflect rounding or different counting methods, not contradictions regarding the substantiality of the event. Both accounts affirm a massive defeat for the Arameans, establishing David's supremacy.
- The Aramean name Hadadezer ("Hadad is help") contrasts sharply with David's victories, showing that the aid sought by the enemy from their pagan deity, Hadad (a prominent storm and fertility god in Syro-Canaanite religion), was utterly futile against the power of the one true God, Yahweh. This subtly reinforces a polemical statement against pagan gods through the narrative of military defeat.
- These conquests were instrumental in accumulating vast amounts of bronze and other precious metals (1 Chr 18:8), which David meticulously stored and dedicated for the future construction of the temple by Solomon (1 Chr 22:14-16). Thus, David's military might, empowered by God, directly facilitated the sacred building project.
1 Chronicles 18 5 Commentary
1 Chronicles 18:5 succinctly recounts a pivotal moment in King David's reign, marking a critical turning point in Israel's geopolitical standing. When the powerful Arameans of Damascus intervened to bolster Zobah against David, they faced an insurmountable force: God's chosen king. The victory was not merely David's but a clear manifestation of Yahweh fighting for His people. The "twenty-two thousand" casualties speak to the devastating scale of the defeat inflicted upon a major regional power. This secured Israel's northern border and brought vast territories under Davidic dominion, advancing the fulfillment of the Abrahamic land promise extending to the Euphrates. The Chronicler emphasizes David's success and the acquisition of wealth that would later contribute to the building of the temple, highlighting God's faithfulness through David's military campaigns as foundational for the peace and resources necessary for Solomon's future endeavors. This passage, like many in Chronicles, emphasizes divine election and the successful establishment of God's kingdom on earth through His appointed monarch.