2 And David H1732 said, H559 I will shew H6213 kindness H2617 unto Hanun H2586 the son H1121 of Nahash, H5176 because his father H1 shewed H6213 kindness H2617 to me. And David H1732 sent H7971 messengers H4397 to comfort H5162 him concerning his father. H1 So the servants H5650 of David H1732 came H935 into the land H776 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 to Hanun, H2586 to comfort H5162 him.
And the firstborn H1067 bare H3205 a son, H1121 and called H7121 his name H8034 Moab: H4124 the same H1931 is the father H1 of the Moabites H4124 unto this day. H3117 And the younger, H6810 she also bare H3205 a son, H1121 and called H7121 his name H8034 Benammi: H1151 the same is the father H1 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 unto this day. H3117
An Ammonite H5984 or Moabite H4125 shall not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD; H3068 even to their tenth H6224 generation H1755 shall they not enter H935 into the congregation H6951 of the LORD H3068 for H5704 ever: H5769 Because H1697 they met H6923 you not with bread H3899 and with water H4325 in the way, H1870 when ye came forth H3318 out of Egypt; H4714 and because they hired H7936 against thee Balaam H1109 the son H1121 of Beor H1160 of Pethor H6604 of Mesopotamia, H763 to curse H7043 thee. Nevertheless the LORD H3068 thy God H430 would H14 not hearken H8085 unto Balaam; H1109 but the LORD H3068 thy God H430 turned H2015 the curse H7045 into a blessing H1293 unto thee, because the LORD H3068 thy God H430 loved H157 thee. Thou shalt not seek H1875 their peace H7965 nor their prosperity H2896 all thy days H3117 for ever. H5769
And David H1732 said, H559 Is there yet H3426 any that is left H3498 of the house H1004 of Saul, H7586 that I may shew H6213 him kindness H2617 for Jonathan's H3083 sake?
And David H1732 said H559 unto him, Fear H3372 not: for I will surely H6213 shew H6213 thee kindness H2617 for Jonathan H3083 thy father's H1 sake, and will restore H7725 thee all the land H7704 of Saul H7586 thy father; H1 and thou shalt eat H398 bread H3899 at my table H7979 continually. H8548
And he said H559 unto him, Say H559 now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful H2729 for us with all this care; H2731 what is to be done H6213 for thee? wouldest H3426 thou be spoken H1696 for to the king, H4428 or to the captain H8269 of the host? H6635 And she answered, H559 I dwell H3427 among H8432 mine own people. H5971
Now Tobiah H2900 the Ammonite H5984 was by him, H681 and he said, H559 Even that which they build, H1129 if a fox H7776 go up, H5927 he shall even break down H6555 their stone H68 wall. H2346
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, H5571 and Tobiah, H2900 and the Arabians, H6163 and the Ammonites, H5984 and the Ashdodites, H796 heard H8085 that the walls H2346 of Jerusalem H3389 were made up, H724 H5927 and that the breaches H6555 began H2490 to be stopped, H5640 then they were very H3966 wroth, H2734
On that day H3117 they read H7121 in the book H5612 of Moses H4872 in the audience H241 of the people; H5971 and therein was found H4672 written, H3789 that the Ammonite H5984 and the Moabite H4125 should not come H935 into the congregation H6951 of God H430 for H5704 ever; H5769
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].