mh_parser/vol_split/13 - 1Chronicles/Chapter 18.xml

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<div2 id="iCh.xix" n="xix" next="iCh.xx" prev="iCh.xviii" progress="76.94%" title="Chapter XVIII">
<h2 id="iCh.xix-p0.1">F I R S T   C H R O N I C L E
S</h2>
<h3 id="iCh.xix-p0.2">CHAP. XVIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iCh.xix-p1">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 (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.1" parsed="|1Chr|18|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:1">ver. 1</scripRef>),
the Moabites (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.2" parsed="|1Chr|18|2|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:2">ver. 2</scripRef>), the
king of Zobah (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.3-1Chr.18.4" parsed="|1Chr|18|3|18|4" passage="1Ch 18:3,4">ver. 3,
4</scripRef>), the Syrians (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.5-1Chr.18.8" parsed="|1Chr|18|5|18|8" passage="1Ch 18:5-8">ver.
5-8</scripRef>), made the king of Hamath his tributary (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.9-1Chr.18.11" parsed="|1Chr|18|9|18|11" passage="1Ch 18:9-11">ver. 9-11</scripRef>), and the Edomites,
<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.12-1Chr.18.13" parsed="|1Chr|18|12|18|13" passage="1Ch 18:12,13">ver. 12, 13</scripRef>. II. His
prosperity at home. His court and kingdom flourished, <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.14-1Chr.18.17" parsed="|1Chr|18|14|18|17" passage="1Ch 18:14-17">ver. 14-17</scripRef>. All this we had an
account of before, <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:2Sam.8.1-2Sam.8.18" parsed="|2Sam|8|1|8|18" passage="2Sa 8:1-18">2 Sam.
viii.</scripRef></p>
<scripCom id="iCh.xix-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18" parsed="|1Chr|18|0|0|0" passage="1Ch 18" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iCh.xix-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.1-1Chr.18.8" parsed="|1Chr|18|1|18|8" passage="1Ch 18:1-8" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.18.1-1Chr.18.8">
<h4 id="iCh.xix-p1.11">David's Victories. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xix-p1.12">b. c.</span> 1042.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iCh.xix-p2">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, <i>and</i> 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 <i>horses,</i> 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 <i>garrisons</i> in
Syria-damascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, <i>and</i>
brought gifts. Thus the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xix-p2.1">Lord</span>
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.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xix-p3"><i>After this,</i> it is said (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.1" parsed="|1Chr|18|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>), 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, <i>conquering and to
conquer.</i> Thus Jacob, after his vision, lifted up his feet,
<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.29.1" parsed="|Gen|29|1|0|0" passage="Ge 29:1">Gen. xxix. 1</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xix-p4">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 <i>David subdued them,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.1" parsed="|1Chr|18|1|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>. Thus shall all opposing <i>rule,
principality, and power,</i> 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 <i>as he went to establish his dominion,</i>
<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.3" parsed="|1Chr|18|3|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. 3. <i>A horse
is a vain thing for safety,</i> so David said (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.33.17" parsed="|Ps|33|17|0|0" passage="Ps 33:17">Ps. xxxiii. 17</scripRef>), and it seems he believed
what he said, for he <i>houghed the chariot-horses,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.4" parsed="|1Chr|18|4|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>. Being resolved not to
trust to them (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.20.7" parsed="|Ps|20|7|0|0" passage="Ps 20:7">Ps. xx. 7</scripRef>),
he would not use them. 4. The enemies of God's church are often
made to ruin themselves by helping one another, <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.6" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.5" parsed="|1Chr|18|5|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. 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 <i>as the sheaves into the floor,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.7" osisRef="Bible:Mic.4.11-Mic.4.12" parsed="|Mic|4|11|4|12" passage="Mic 4:11,12">Mic. iv. 11, 12</scripRef>. 5. The <i>wealth
of the sinner</i> sometimes proves to have been <i>laid up for the
just.</i> The <i>Syrians brought gifts,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.8" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.6" parsed="|1Chr|18|6|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Their shields of gold and their
brass were brought to Jerusalem, <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p4.9" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.7-1Chr.18.8" parsed="|1Chr|18|7|18|8" passage="1Ch 18:7,8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>. 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.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iCh.xix-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.9-1Chr.18.17" parsed="|1Chr|18|9|18|17" passage="1Ch 18:9-17" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Chr.18.9-1Chr.18.17">
<p class="passage" id="iCh.xix-p5">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 <i>with him</i>
all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.   11 Them
also king David dedicated unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xix-p5.1">Lord</span>, with the silver and the gold that he
brought from all <i>these</i> 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 <span class="smallcaps" id="iCh.xix-p5.2">Lord</span> 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 <i>was</i> over the host; and
Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder.   16 And Zadok the
son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, <i>were</i> the
priests; and Shavsha was scribe;   17 And Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada <i>was</i> over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and
the sons of David <i>were</i> chief about the king.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iCh.xix-p6">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, <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.9-1Chr.18.10" parsed="|1Chr|18|9|18|10" passage="1Ch 18:9,10"><i>v.</i> 9,
10</scripRef>. It is in vain to contend with the Son of David.
<i>Kiss the Son,</i> therefore, <i>lest he be angry;</i> 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
<i>vessels of gold and silver,</i> 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, <i>David dedicated unto the Lord</i> (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.11" parsed="|1Chr|18|11|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), 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 <i>merchandise
and our hire be holiness to the Lord,</i> <scripRef id="iCh.xix-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Isa.23.18" parsed="|Isa|23|18|0|0" passage="Isa 23:18">Isa. xxiii. 18</scripRef>. 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 (<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.6" parsed="|1Chr|18|6|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) and here it is repeated
(<scripRef id="iCh.xix-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:1Chr.18.13" parsed="|1Chr|18|13|0|0" passage="1Ch 18:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>) that <i>the
Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.</i> 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
<i>executed judgment and justice among all his people,</i> 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 <i>sits in the throne judging right;</i> and he
was an eminent type of the Messiah, the <i>sceptre of whose kingdom
is a right sceptre.</i></p>
</div></div2>