Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

on the Whole Bible

Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page

---

[Table of Contents] [Previous] [Next]

Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708)

---

F I R S T   C H R O N I C L E S

CHAP. XVIII.

---

     

David’s piety and his prayer we had an account of in the foregoing

chapter; here follows immediately that which one might reasonably

expect, an account of his prosperity; for those that seek first the

kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, as David did, shall have

other things added to them as far as God sees good for them. Here is,

I. His prosperity abroad. He conquered the Philistines

(ver. 1),

the Moabites

(ver. 2),

the king of Zobah

(ver. 3, 4),

the Syrians

(ver. 5-8),

made the king of Hamath his tributary

(ver. 9-11),

and the Edomites,

ver. 12, 13.

II. His prosperity at home. His court and kingdom flourished,

ver. 14-17.

All this we had an account of before,

2 Sam. viii.

David’s Victories.	B. C. 1042.

     

1 Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the

Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of

the hand of the Philistines.

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

and brought gifts.

  3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he

went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

  4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven

thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also

houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them a hundred

chariots.

  5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king

of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

  6 Then David put garrisons in Syria-damascus; and the Syrians

became David’s servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD

preserved David whithersoever he went.

  7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants

of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

  8 Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer,

brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen

sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

     

After this, it is said

(v. 1),

David did those great exploits. After the sweet communion he had had

with God by the word and prayer, as mentioned in the foregoing chapter,

he went on his work with extraordinary vigour and courage,

conquering and to conquer. Thus Jacob, after his vision, lifted

up his feet,

Gen. xxix. 1.

     

We have taken a view of these victories before, and shall now only

observe,

1. Those that have been long enemies to the Israel of God will be

brought down at last. The Philistines had, for several generations,

been vexatious to Israel, but now David subdued them,
v. 1.

Thus shall all opposing rule, principality, and power, be, at

the end of time, put down by the Son of David, and the most inveterate

enemies shall fall before him.

2. Such is the uncertainty of this world that frequently men lose their

wealth and power when they think to confirm it. Hadarezer was smitten

as he went to establish his dominion,
v. 3.

3. A horse is a vain thing for safety, so David said

(Ps. xxxiii. 17),

and it seems he believed what he said, for he houghed the

chariot-horses,
v. 4.

Being resolved not to trust to them

(Ps. xx. 7),

he would not use them.

4. The enemies of God’s church are often made to ruin themselves by

helping one another,

v. 5.

The Syrians of Damascus were smitten when they came to help Hadarezer.

When hand thus joins in hand they shall not only not go unpunished, but

thereby they shall be gathered as the sheaves into the floor,
Mic. iv. 11, 12.

5. The wealth of the sinner sometimes proves to have been

laid up for the just. The Syrians brought gifts,
v. 6.

Their shields of gold and their brass were brought to Jerusalem,

v. 7, 8.

As the tabernacle was built of the spoils of the Egyptians, so the

temple of the spoils of other Gentile nations, a happy presage of the

interest the Gentiles should have in the gospel church.

     

9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all

the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;

  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 war with Tou;) and

with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.

  11 Them also king David dedicated unto 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.

  12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in

the valley of salt eighteen thousand.

  13 And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became

David’s servants. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he

went.

  14 So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and

justice among all his people.

  15 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and

Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder.

  16 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of

Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe;

  17 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites

and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the

king.

     

Here let us learn,

1. That it is our interest to make those our friends who have the

presence of God with them. The king of Hamath, hearing of David’s great

success, sent to congratulate him and to court his favour with a noble

present,

v. 9, 10.

It is in vain to contend with the Son of David. Kiss the Son,

therefore, lest he be angry; let the kings and judges of the

earth, and all inferior people too, be thus wise, thus instructed. The

presents we are to bring him are not vessels of gold and silver,

as here (those shall be welcomed to him who have no such presents to

bring), but our hearts and sincere affections, our whole selves, we

must present to him as living sacrifices.

2. That what God blesses us with we must honour him with. The presents

of his friends, as well as the spoils of his enemies, David

dedicated unto the Lord

(v. 11),

that is, he laid them up towards the building and enriching of the

temple. That is most truly and most comfortably our own which we have

consecrated unto the Lord, and which we use for his glory. Let our

merchandise and our hire be holiness to the Lord,
Isa. xxiii. 18.

3. That those who take God along with them whithersoever they go may

expect to prosper, and be preserved, whithersoever they go. It was said

before

(v. 6)

and here it is repeated

(v. 13)

that the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went. Those are

always under the eye of God that have God always in their eye.

4. God gives men power, not that they may look great with it, but that

they may do good with it. When David reigned over all Israel he

executed judgment and justice among all his people, and so

answered the end of his elevation. He was not so intent on his

conquests abroad as to neglect the administration of justice at home.

Herein he served the purposes of the kingdom of providence, and of that

God who sits in the throne judging right; and he was an eminent

type of the Messiah, the sceptre of whose kingdom is a right

sceptre.

---

[Table of Contents] [Previous] [Next]

Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708)

---

Back to Bibles Net . Com – Online Christian Library Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary – Free Download Contact Us

---