1 Chronicles 18

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[5]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).[6]

• 1 Chronicles 18:1–13: 2 Samuel 8:1–14; Psalm 60:1–12.[7]
• 1 Chronicles 18:14–17:2 Samuel 8:15–18.[7]

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 an hundred chariots.[9]

• "Seven thousand horsemen": 2 Samuel 8:4 notes "seven hundred horsemen" (KJV; NKJV).[10] The number was probably multiplied by ten by the Chronicler (cf. 1 Chronicles 19:18),[4] or the Chronicler notes the final number of killed horsemen when David 'established his power by the River Euphrates' (1 Chronicles 18:3) whereas the number in 2 Samuel 8:4 was when David initially 'recover his border at the River Euphrates' (2 Samuel 8:3).[11]
• "Houghed": or "hamstrung" (NKJV); "crippled"[12]

And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.[13]

• "Abishai, the son of Zeruiah": David's nephew, the eldest son of David's sister, Zeruiah. His name means "father of the gift".[14] He was the commander and "most honoured" of the second rank of David's officers, below the three "mighty men".[15] The parallel text of 2 Samuel 8:13 attributes Abishai's achievement to David.[16][17] In the title of Psalm 60, Joab, Abishai's brother, got the credit for killing 12,000 Edomites at the same place, suggesting the probability of Abishai commanding the battle, while Joab completed the conquest of the country (cf. 1 Kings 11:16).[18]
• "Valley of Salt": located in Edom, also the place of the achievement of Amaziah (1 Kings 11:14–17; 2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chronicles 25:11), who proceeded with ten thousand prisoners to 'precipitate them down the cliff', i.e. Petra (הַסֶּלַע; 2 Chronicles 25:12).[19] The word "valley" here is גֵּיא (Psalm 23:4), signifying "ravine", not עֵמֶק which is more generic.[19]

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers at the king’s side.[20]

• "Chief ministers at the king’s side": from Hebrew הראשנים ליד המלך, hā-ri-šō-nîm lə-yaḏ ha-me-leḵ,[21] literally "the_first_ ones at_the_hand of_the_king."[22][23] The term clarifies the use of the word "priests" in the parallel text of 2 Samuel 8:18 which allows different interpretations.[4] Here it means that 'David employs his sons as high-ranking officials in his cabinet' (not as 'priests' for worship services), a practice that was also performed by at least other two kings (2 Chronicles 11:22–23; 21:3).[16]