1 Chronicles 18:1-17 David’s kingdom strengthened. You can see why God said that David was a man of bloodshed. For example, in one battle he killed 22,000 Arameans (Syrians). One of his commanders, Abishai, killed 18,000 Edomites. 18:14 So David reigned over all Israel; and he administered justice and righteousness for all his people.”
19:1-9 David’s messengers abused. David sent messengers to console Hanun the Ammonite king whose father died, but he thought they were spies and humiliated them and sent them back. The Ammonites then hired a large mercenary army to attack David.
19:10-19 Ammon and Aram defeated. Joab and his brother Abshai defeated the Arameans who had come to help the Ammonites attack David. So the Arameans got more Arameans but David defeated them also, killing 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. David was a man of bloodshed!
20:1-8 War with Philistine giants. Joab and David defeated the Ammonites in Rabba and cut them with saws and with sharp instruments and with axes (NASB): Note, the NIV says it should read in Hebrew “put them to forced labor with saws and axes” so I don’t know which is the preferred translation. I would like to think that David was not cruel enough to saw people and chop them into pieces! Then there was the war with the Philistine giants and several giants were killed including the brother of Goliath whom David killed as a youth. One giant had 24 toes and fingers!
21:1-17 Census brings pestilence. David sinned by making Joab take a census of the people in response to the anger of the Lord against the sins of Israel The sin was trusting in his miliatry strength of 1,570,000 men b/c he probably figured that God would send the enemy to punish Israel and he wanted to be ready. He should have just asked God what the people needed to do to repent of their sins. God gave him 3 choices of punishment and he chose pestilence and 70,000 Israelites died. David felt the guilt b/c of his sin.
21:18-30 David’s altar. God told David to build an altar and make an offering to stop the plague. David bought a threshing floor from Onan at full price (he said he would not offer God that which cost him nothing), make the offering, and the death angel put his sword back in his sheath. You have to wonder in what manner the death angel killed 70,000 people. David was terrified by the sword of the angel of God.
22:1-5 David prepares to build the temple. David was not allowed to build the temple but he did “ample” preparations for building the temple with timbers, large stones, and iron for nails. 1 Chronicles is the only place that tells us this. 1 Chronicles 28 and 29 will tell us that he also gave Solomon the architectural plans for the temple. More on that later.
22:6-19 David charges Solomon to build the temple. David gave Solomon $450 billion worth of gold and many workers to build the temple. He wanted Solomon to put the ark in the temple.
