1 Chronicles 14 Study Notes

14:1 King Hiram of Tyre is a consistent presence throughout the reigns of David and Solomon. Even if he worshiped the Phoenician gods outwardly, inwardly he worshiped nothing as fervently as profit and material wealth. He initiated a possible sale of building materials to David for a huge palace.

14:2 David saw this international recognition as confirmation from the Lord that his kingdom was approved by God.

14:3-7 The Chronicler lists further wives whom David acquired after his capital was moved to Jerusalem. First Chronicles does not recount his adulterous affair with Bathsheba, and Bathsheba is not invoked by name here, though she had been mentioned earlier (3:5), and her children are included in this list.

14:8 The Philistines had been held in check by David, but they still lived in Israelite territory, trying to maintain their power. When it became clear to them that David’s kingdom was growing stronger, they joined forces to wage war against Israel. David marched out with his army for a direct confrontation.

14:9 The Valley of Rephaim, just south of Jerusalem, was a natural path up to the capital city, but it was also an easy place for an army to get locked in.

14:10-11 David must have learned his lesson from the disasters that beset Saul. He made sure that it was the Lord’s will to battle the Philistines in a direct attack. The Lord gave him permission, and David caught the Philistines unawares.

14:12 The Philistines were routed so thoroughly that they left their idols on the battlefield. Many ancient kings would have picked up these idols and either desecrated them or tried to gain some spiritual strength from them. David did not play any such spiritual games; he wisely ordered that they be burned.

14:13-16 The Philistines must have thought that attacking through the same valley was the last thing anyone would expect, but if they were caught again they would be ready. This time the Lord commanded David to use a different strategy—to come from behind. God would give David a signal when it was time to attack. By following God’s orders exactly, he eliminated the threat of the Philistines for a long time to come.

14:17 At this time Mesopotamia and Egypt were suffering from internal struggles. The Phoenicians were more interested in growth by trade than by military might. The Philistines had been put in their place; even though they were not eliminated, they were in no position to reestablish their military strength. David’s kingdom was the strongest empire of the day. For the time being threats would not come from the traditional superpowers but from his neighbors who were trying to take advantage of the political vacuum.