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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 (1Ch 18:1), the Moabites (1Ch 18:2), the king of Zobah (1Ch 18:3,4), the Syrians (1Ch 18:5-8), made the king of Hamath his tributary (1Ch 18:9-11), and the Edomites, 1Ch 18:12,13. II. His prosperity at home. His court and kingdom flourished, 1Ch 18:14-17. All this we had an account of before, 2Sa 8:1-18
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David's Victories (1042 BC)
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大衛的勝利（主前 1042 年）
¹ 此後，大衛攻打非利士人，將他們治服，從非利士人手下奪取了迦特和屬迦特的村莊。 ² 他又攻打摩押；摩押人就作了大衛的僕人，給他進貢。 ³ 瑣巴王利合的兒子哈大底謝往伯拉河去，要恢復他的國權；大衛就攻打他，直到哈馬。 ⁴ 大衛從他那裏奪了戰車一千、馬兵七千、步兵二萬；大衛又將所有拉戰車的馬的蹄筋砍斷，只留下一百輛戰車的馬。 ⁵ 大馬色的敘利亞人來幫助瑣巴王哈大底謝；大衛就殺了敘利亞人二萬二千。 ⁶ 於是大衛在大馬色的敘利亞設立防營；敘利亞人就作了大衛的僕人，給他進貢。這樣，大衛無論往哪裏去，耶和華都使他得勝。 ⁷ 大衛奪了哈大底謝僕人手上的金盾牌，帶到耶路撒冷。 ⁸ 大衛又從哈大底謝的提巴和均二城中，奪了許多的銅；後來所羅門用這銅製造銅海、銅柱，和一切的銅器。
經上說，「此後」（代上十八1），大衛行了那些偉大的功業。在他與神藉著道和禱告所有的甜美交通之後──如前一章所述──他便以非凡的精力和勇氣繼續他的工作，「勝了又要勝」。如此，雅各在見了異象之後，「便抬起腳來前行」（創二十九1）。
這些勝利我們從前已概覽過，如今只觀察：1. 那些長久與神的以色列為敵的人，至終必被降卑。非利士人幾代以來一直苦害以色列，但如今「大衛將他們治服」（代上十八1）。如此，到了時間的末了，一切反對的「執政的、掌權的、有能的」都必被大衛的兒子所廢去，最頑固的仇敵也必倒在他面前。2. 世事無常，人常常在想鞏固自己的財富和權勢之時，反而失去它。哈大底謝「往伯拉河去，要恢復他的國權」之時，反被擊敗（代上十八3）。3. 「馬是枉然的安全保障」，大衛如此說（詩三十三17），看來他也信自己所說的，因為他「將戰車的馬砍斷了蹄筋」（代上十八4）。他既決心不倚靠它們（詩二十7），便也不使用它們。4. 神教會的仇敵，常常因互相幫助而自取滅亡（代上十八5）。大馬色的敘利亞人來幫助哈大底謝，反被擊殺。當他們如此「同心合意」之時，不僅不能免罰，反而因此如禾捆被聚在禾場上（彌四11、12）。5. 「罪人的財物」有時竟證明是「為義人積存的」。敘利亞人「給大衛進貢」（代上十八6）。他們的金盾牌和銅被運到耶路撒冷（代上十八7、8）。正如會幕是用埃及人的擄物建造的，聖殿也是用其他外邦國家的擄物建造的──這是外邦人在福音教會中將有分的美好預表。
⁹ 哈馬王陀烏聽見大衛殺敗了瑣巴王哈大底謝的全軍， ¹⁰ 就打發他兒子哈多蘭去見大衛王，問他的安，為他祝福；因為他與哈大底謝爭戰，殺敗了他（原來哈大底謝與陀烏常常爭戰）；哈多蘭帶了金銀銅的各樣器皿來。 ¹¹ 大衛王將這些器皿，連同從以東、摩押、亞捫人、非利士人、亞瑪力人所得的金銀，都分別為聖獻給耶和華。 ¹² 洗魯雅的兒子亞比篩在鹽谷擊殺了以東人一萬八千。 ¹³ 大衛在以東設立防營；以東人都作了大衛的僕人。這樣，大衛無論往哪裏去，耶和華都使他得勝。 ¹⁴ 大衛作全以色列的王，向所有百姓施行公平和公義。 ¹⁵ 洗魯雅的兒子約押作元帥；亞希律的兒子約沙法作史官； ¹⁶ 亞希突的兒子撒督和亞比亞他的兒子亞希米勒作祭司；沙威沙作書記； ¹⁷ 耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅統轄基利提人和比利提人；大衛的眾子都在王左右作首領。
我們在此當學到：1. 凡有神同在的人，我們當以之為友，這是與我們有益的。哈馬王聽見大衛大獲全勝，便派人去祝賀他，並帶著豐厚的禮物去討好他（代上十八9、10）。與大衛的兒子相爭是徒然的。「所以你們當吻子」──願世上的君王和審判官，以及一切卑微的人，都如此有智慧，如此受教。我們當帶給他的禮物，不是此處的「金銀器皿」（凡沒有這樣禮物可獻的，他也同樣歡迎），而是我們的心和真誠的感情，是我們的全人──我們必須將自己當作活祭獻給他。2. 神所賜福與我們的，我們必用以尊榮他。朋友的禮物，正如仇敵的擄物，大衛都「獻給耶和華」（代上十八11），就是留作建造和充實聖殿之用。我們所分別為聖歸給耶和華、並用以榮耀他的，才是最真實、最令人欣慰地屬於我們自己的。願我們的「貨財和利息」都「歸耶和華為聖」（賽二十三18）。3. 凡無論往哪裏去都帶著神同行的人，可望無論往哪裏去都亨通蒙保守。前文已說（代上十八6），此處又重複（代上十八13）：「大衛無論往哪裏去，耶和華都使他得勝」。凡眼目時常仰望神的，也常在神的眼目之下。4. 神賜人權柄，不是要人藉之看來偉大，而是要人藉之為善。大衛作全以色列的王之時，他「向所有百姓施行公平和公義」，如此便完成了他被高升的目的。他並不因專注於外面的征服，便忽略了國內的司法。他在此服事了護理國度的目的，服事了那「坐在寶座上按公義審判」的神；他也是彌賽亞卓越的預表──彌賽亞國度的「權杖是正直的權杖」。
英文原文
David's Victories (1042 BC)
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 (1Ch 18:1), 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, Ge 29:1.
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, 1Ch 18:1. 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, 1Ch 18:3. 3. A horse is a vain thing for safety, so David said (Ps 33:17), and it seems he believed what he said, for he houghed the chariot-horses, 1Ch 18:4. Being resolved not to trust to them (Ps 20:7), he would not use them. 4. The enemies of God's church are often made to ruin themselves by helping one another, 1Ch 18:5. 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 4:11,12. 5. The wealth of the sinner sometimes proves to have been laid up for the just. The Syrians brought gifts, 1Ch 18:6. Their shields of gold and their brass were brought to Jerusalem, 1Ch 18:7,8. 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, 1Ch 18:9,10. 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 (1Ch 18:11), 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 23:18. 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 (1Ch 18:6) and here it is repeated (1Ch 18:13) 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.
前一章我們讀到大衛的敬虔和他的禱告；接下來所記的，正是我們理所當然可以期望的—他的亨通；因為那「先求神的國和祂的義」的人，如大衛所作的，「這些東西都要加給」他們—只要神看為好。此處我們讀到：一、他在外的亨通：他征服了非利士人（代上十八1）、摩押人（代上十八2）、瑣巴王（代上十八3–4）、亞蘭人（代上十八5–8），使哈馬王向他進貢（代上十八9–11），又征服了以東人（代上十八12–13）。二、他在家的亨通：他的朝廷和國度興盛（代上十八14–17）。這一切我們從前已經讀過（撒下八1–18）。