1 Now it came to pass after this, H310 that Nahash H5176 the king H4428 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 died, H4191 and his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
Then Nahash H5176 the Ammonite H5984 came up, H5927 and encamped H2583 against Jabeshgilead: H3003 H1568 and all the men H582 of Jabesh H3003 said H559 unto Nahash, H5176 Make H3772 a covenant H1285 with us, and we will serve H5647 thee. And Nahash H5176 the Ammonite H5984 answered H559 them, On this H2063 condition will I make H3772 a covenant with you, that I may thrust out H5365 all your right H3225 eyes, H5869 and lay H7760 it for a reproach H2781 upon all Israel. H3478
And it came to pass after this, H310 that the king H4428 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 died, H4191 and Hanun H2586 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead. Then said H559 David, H1732 I will shew H6213 kindness H2617 unto Hanun H2586 the son H1121 of Nahash, H5176 as his father H1 shewed H6213 kindness H2617 unto me. And David H1732 sent H7971 to comfort H5162 him by the hand H3027 of his servants H5650 for his father. H1 And David's H1732 servants H5650 came H935 into the land H776 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 And the princes H8269 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 said H559 unto Hanun H2586 their lord, H113 Thinkest H5869 thou that David H1732 doth honour H3513 thy father, H1 that he hath sent H7971 comforters H5162 unto thee? hath not David H1732 rather sent H7971 his servants H5650 unto thee, to H5668 search H2713 the city, H5892 and to spy it out, H7270 and to overthrow H2015 it? Wherefore Hanun H2586 took H3947 David's H1732 servants, H5650 and shaved off H1548 the one half H2677 of their beards, H2206 and cut off H3772 their garments H4063 in the middle, H2677 even to their buttocks, H8357 and sent them away. H7971 When they told H5046 it unto David, H1732 he sent H7971 to meet H7125 them, because the men H582 were greatly H3966 ashamed: H3637 and the king H4428 said, H559 Tarry H3427 at Jericho H3405 until your beards H2206 be grown, H6779 and then return. H7725 And when the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 saw H7200 that they stank H887 before David, H1732 the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 sent H7971 and hired H7936 the Syrians H758 of Bethrehob, H1050 and the Syrians H758 of Zoba, H6678 twenty H6242 thousand H505 footmen, H7273 and of king H4428 Maacah H4601 a thousand H505 men, H376 and of Ishtob H382 twelve H6240 H8147 thousand H505 men. H376 And when David H1732 heard H8085 of it, he sent H7971 Joab, H3097 and all the host H6635 of the mighty men. H1368 And the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 came out, H3318 and put the battle H4421 in array H6186 at the entering in H6607 of the gate: H8179 and the Syrians H758 of Zoba, H6678 and of Rehob, H7340 and Ishtob, H382 and Maacah, H4601 were by themselves H905 in the field. H7704 When Joab H3097 saw H7200 that the front H6440 of the battle H4421 was against him before H6440 and behind, H268 he chose H977 of all the choice H977 men of Israel, H3478 and put them in array H6186 against H7125 the Syrians: H758 And the rest H3499 of the people H5971 he delivered H5414 into the hand H3027 of Abishai H52 his brother, H251 that he might put them in array H6186 against H7125 the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 And he said, H559 If the Syrians H758 be too strong H2388 for me, then thou shalt help H3444 me: but if the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 be too strong H2388 for thee, then I will come H1980 and help H3467 thee. Be of good courage, H2388 and let us play the men H2388 for our people, H5971 and for the cities H5892 of our God: H430 and the LORD H3068 do H6213 that which seemeth H5869 him good. H2896 And Joab H3097 drew nigh, H5066 and the people H5971 that were with him, unto the battle H4421 against the Syrians: H758 and they fled H5127 before H6440 him. And when the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 saw H7200 that the Syrians H758 were fled, H5127 then fled H5127 they also before H6440 Abishai, H52 and entered H935 into the city. H5892 So Joab H3097 returned H7725 from the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 and came H935 to Jerusalem. H3389 And when the Syrians H758 saw H7200 that they were smitten H5062 before H6440 Israel, H3478 they gathered H622 themselves together. H3162 And Hadarezer H1928 sent, H7971 and brought out H3318 the Syrians H758 that were beyond H5676 the river: H5104 and they came H935 to Helam; H2431 and Shobach H7731 the captain H8269 of the host H6635 of Hadarezer H1928 went before H6440 them. And when it was told H5046 David, H1732 he gathered H622 all Israel H3478 together, H622 and passed over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and came H935 to Helam. H2431 And the Syrians H758 set themselves in array H6186 against H7125 David, H1732 and fought H3898 with him. And the Syrians H758 fled H5127 before H6440 Israel; H3478 and David H1732 slew H2026 the men of seven H7651 hundred H3967 chariots H7393 of the Syrians, H758 and forty H705 thousand H505 horsemen, H6571 and smote H5221 Shobach H7731 the captain H8269 of their host, H6635 who died H4191 there. And when all the kings H4428 that were servants H5650 to Hadarezer H1928 saw H7200 that they were smitten H5062 before H6440 Israel, H3478 they made peace H7999 with Israel, H3478 and served H5647 them. So the Syrians H758 feared H3372 to help H3467 the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 any more.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 19
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 19
1Ch 19:1-5. David's Messengers, Sent to Comfort Hanun, Are Disgracefully Treated.
1. after this—This phrase seems to indicate that the incident now to be related took place immediately, or soon after the wars described in the preceding chapter. But the chronological order is loosely observed, and the only just inference that can be drawn from the use of this phrase is, that some farther account is to be given of the wars against the Syrians.
Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died—There had subsisted a very friendly relation between David and him, begun during the exile of the former, and cemented, doubtless, by their common hostility to Saul.
3. are not his servants come unto thee for to search?—that is, thy capital, Rabbah (2Sa 10:3).
4, 5. shaved them—not completely, but only the half of their face. This disrespect to the beard, and indecent exposure of their persons by their clothes being cut off from the girdle downwards, was the grossest indignity to which Jews, in common with all Orientals, could be subjected. No wonder that the men were ashamed to appear in public—that the king recommended them to remain in seclusion on the border till the mark of their disgrace had disappeared—and then they might, with propriety, return to the court.
1Ch 19:6-15. Joab and Abishai Overcome the Ammonites.
6. when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David—One universal feeling of indignation was roused throughout Israel, and all classes supported the king in his determination to avenge this unprovoked insult on the Hebrew nation.
Hanun … sent a thousand talents of silver—a sum equal to £342,100, to procure the services of foreign mercenaries.
chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia … Syria-maachah, and … Zobah—The Mesopotamian troops did not arrive during this campaign (1Ch 19:16). Syria-maachah lay on the north of the possessions of the trans-jordanic Israelites, near Gilead.
Zobah—(see on 1Ch 18:3).
7. So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots—Hebrew, "riders," or "cavalry," accustomed to fight either on horseback or in chariots, and occasionally on foot. Accepting this as the true rendering, the number of hired auxiliaries mentioned in this passage agrees exactly with the statement in 2Sa 10:6: twenty thousand (from Syria), twelve thousand (from Tob), equal to thirty-two thousand, and one thousand with the king of Maachah.
8. David … sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men—All the forces of Israel, including the great military orders, were engaged in this war.
9-15. children of Ammon … put the battle in array before the gate of the city—that is, outside the walls of Medeba, a frontier town on the Arnon.
the kings that were come were by themselves in the field—The Israelitish army being thus beset by the Ammonites in front, and by the Syrian auxiliaries behind, Joab resolved to attack the latter (the more numerous and formidable host), while he directed his brother Abishai, with a suitable detachment, to attack the Ammonites. Joab's address before the engagement displays the faith and piety that became a commander of the Hebrew people. The mercenaries being defeated, the courage of the Ammonites failed; so that, taking flight, they entrenched themselves within the fortified walls.
1Ch 19:16-19. Shophach Slain by David.
16. And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel—(See on 2Sa 10:15-19).
18. David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men—(Compare 2Sa 10:18, which has seven hundred chariots). Either the text in one of the books is corrupt [Keil, Davidson], or the accounts must be combined, giving this result—seven thousand horsemen, seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen [Kennicott, Houbigant, Calmet].