This footnote or authorial summary is unique to Chronicles: The fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.
Thus far the Chronicler has several times mentioned that foreign nations feared Israel’s king and God. International recognition of David’s fame and the fear of the Lord are seen as exemplifying David’s covenant blessing foreshadowed (1 Chronicles 17:8). The more the fame of David grew, the greater the glory of Yahweh was clearly seen in the nations’ fear of him.
The same was later enjoyed by Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:8, 2 Chronicles 26:15), Asa (2 Chronicles 14:13), and Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:10; 2 Chronicles 20:29; 2 Chronicles 19:7). The promises contained in the Mosaic covenant (Deuteronomy 2:25; Deuteronomy 11:25) were therefore already being fulfilled through David and his dynasty.1
The contrast with Saul is evident for a final time. In Saul’s battle, Israel fled in fear from the Philistines (1 Chronicles 10:1, 1 Chronicles 10:7); Saul himself feared them (1 Chronicles 10:4). The Chronicler pointed here to the very opposite condition for David; every nation feared him.
Although David had failed in his first attempt to transfer the ark, he was not to be set on a par with Saul. On the contrary, David was to be contrasted with Saul as the faithful and blessed king of Israel. For this reason, post-exilic Israel should have viewed David’s reign as their model and David’s dynasty as their only royal line.2
17 And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.