8 And when David H1732 heard H8085 of it, he sent H7971 Joab, H3097 and all the host H6635 of the mighty men. H1368
9 And the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 came out, H3318 and put the battle H4421 in array H6186 before the gate H6607 of the city: H5892 and the kings H4428 that were come H935 were by themselves in the field. H7704
10 Now when Joab H3097 saw H7200 that the battle H4421 was set against him before H6440 and behind, H268 he chose out H977 of all the choice H977 of Israel, H3478 and put them in array H6186 against H7125 the Syrians. H758
11 And the rest H3499 of the people H5971 he delivered H5414 unto the hand H3027 of Abishai H52 his brother, H251 and they set themselves in array H6186 against H7125 the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983
12 And he said, H559 If the Syrians H758 be too strong H2388 for me, then thou shalt help H8668 me: but if the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 be too strong H2388 for thee, then I will help H3467 thee.
13 Be of good courage, H2388 and let us behave ourselves valiantly H2388 for our people, H5971 and for the cities H5892 of our God: H430 and let the LORD H3068 do H6213 that which is good H2896 in his sight. H5869
14 So Joab H3097 and the people H5971 that were with him drew nigh H5066 before H6440 the Syrians H758 unto the battle; H4421 and they fled H5127 before H6440 him.
15 And when the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 saw H7200 that the Syrians H758 were fled, H5127 they likewise fled H5127 before H6440 Abishai H52 his brother, H251 and entered H935 into the city. H5892 Then Joab H3097 came H935 to Jerusalem. H3389
16 And when the Syrians H758 saw H7200 that they were put to the worse H5062 before H6440 Israel, H3478 they sent H7971 messengers, H4397 and drew forth H3318 the Syrians H758 that were beyond H5676 the river: H5104 and Shophach H7780 the captain H8269 of the host H6635 of Hadarezer H1928 went before H6440 them.
17 And it was told H5046 David; H1732 and he gathered H622 all Israel, H3478 and passed over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and came H935 upon them, and set the battle in array H6186 against them. So when David H1732 had put the battle H4421 in array H6186 against H7125 the Syrians, H758 they fought H3898 with him.
18 But the Syrians H758 fled H5127 before H6440 Israel; H3478 and David H1732 slew H2026 of the Syrians H758 seven H7651 thousand H505 men which fought in chariots, H7393 and forty H705 thousand H505 footmen, H376 H7273 and killed H4191 Shophach H7780 the captain H8269 of the host. H6635
19 And when the servants H5650 of Hadarezer H1928 saw H7200 that they were put to the worse H5062 before H6440 Israel, H3478 they made peace H7999 with David, H1732 and became his servants: H5647 neither would H14 the Syrians H758 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].