I Chronicles 18, Victory Everywhere

David is king and YHWH has promised him an eternal dynasty. The date is about 995 BC.

1 Chronicles 18: 1-6, Philistines, Moabites, Arameans

In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines. David also defeated the Moabites, and they became subject to him and brought tribute. Moreover, David fought Hadadezer king of Zobah, as far as Hamath, when he went to establish his control along the Euphrates River. David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses. When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory everywhere he went.

David is dramatically extending the borders of Israel, pushing Philistines, Moabites and Arameans out of the region. The Philistines are the western threat to Israel, many of them in the area of the modern day Gaza Strip, the Moabites are in the east  (modern day Jordan) and the Arameans are to the north (in modern day Syria.) David will complete victories over all four parts of the compass when he defeats the Edomites (below.)

1 Chronicles 18: 7-11, Treasures and tribute

David took the gold shields carried by the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. From Tebah and Cun, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, David took a great quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze Sea, the pillars and various bronze articles. 

When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer king of Zobah, he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Hadoram brought all kinds of articles of gold and silver and bronze. King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek.
 

David's victories mean that treasures come into Jerusalem.  Solomon will later take the large amount of captured bronze to make his famous "sea" in the temple. King Tou of Hamath offers tribute.

1 Chronicles 18: 12-13, Victory everywhere

Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. 

The LORD gave David victory everywhere he went.
 

David also defeats the Edomites. In summary, the Chronicler says that everything David did led to success, since YHWH was giving the victory.

David's nephew Abishai is given the credit here for defeating Edom. 2 Samuel 8: 13 attributes the victory over Edom to David; the heading of Psalm 60 attributes the victory to Abishai's brother, Joab, David's commander in chief. Both Abishai (see 2 Samuel 23: 18-19) and Joab were leaders in David's army and involved in all of David's battles.

1 Chronicles 18: 14-17, Leaders in David's kingdom

David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was secretary; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David's sons were chief officials at the king's side.

The Chronicler lists the names of some important leaders of David's kingdom.

A parallel passage to 1 Chronicles 18 is 2 Samuel 8.