2 Samuel 8 · a question people ask
1 Chronicles 18 tells the same battles. Why are some names and numbers different?
1 Chronicles 18 follows this chapter closely, often word for word; "The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went" is in both (8:6; 1 Chronicles 18:6). But some details differ. Where 8:1 says David took "the bridle of the mother city", Chronicles says he "took Gath and its towns out of the hand of the Philistines" (1 Chronicles 18:1). 8:4 has "one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen"; Chronicles has "one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen" (1 Chronicles 18:4). The bronze came "From Betah and from Berothai" (8:8), or "From Tibhath and from Cun" (1 Chronicles 18:8). The king of Hamath is Toi, who sends "Joram his son" (8:10), or Tou, who sends "Hadoram his son" (1 Chronicles 18:10). 8:13 tells of "eighteen thousand men of the Syrians in the Valley of Salt"; Chronicles says, "Abishai the son of Zeruiah struck eighteen thousand of the Edomites in the Valley of Salt" (1 Chronicles 18:12), and the title of Psalm 60 says "Joab returned, and killed twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt" (Psalm 60:1). The Bible sets these accounts side by side without explaining the differences, and this answer doesn't explain them either.
The verses
“After this, David struck the Philistines and subdued them; and David took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.”
“David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for one hundred chariots.”
“Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.”
“From Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.”