1Chronicles 19:1 ¶ Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.
1Chronicles 19:2 And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.
1Chronicles 19:3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?
1Chronicles 19:4 Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.
The account of these events basically mirrors the account in 2Samuel 10.
One day David got word that the king of Ammon had died and Hanun his son had become king. David wanted to show kindness to the son because the father had been kind to him. I would assume that would be a reference to the time that he was running from Saul.
David sent a delegation of some of his top men to Ammon to share David’s condolences for the death of the king. When the leaders of Ammon saw them, they poisoned Hanun’s thoughts toward the delegation. They basically made him believe that David’s intentions were evil, to spy and gain information in preparation for overthrowing the government and making the people subjects of Israel.
So Hanun took hold of David’s servants and shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments so as to leave them exposed from the waist down and sent them away.
1Chronicles 19:5 Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and thenreturn.
When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to meet them and tell them to stay at Jericho until their beards had grown back. David didn’t want them to suffer any more shame than they already had.
The IVP OT Commentary offers this insight: “David’s messengers have half their beards shaved (symbolically emasculating them and by extension David) and ‘their garments [were cut] in the middle at their hips,’ leaving them naked like slaves or captives (see Is 20:4). These men were ambassadors and as such were entitled to both respect and diplomatic immunity. What may seem like a ‘prank’ was in fact a direct challenge to David’s power and authority, and precipitated a war between the two nations.”
Adam Clarke adds this information: “The beard is held in high respect in the East: the possessor considers it his greatest ornament; often swears by it; and, in matters of great importance, pledges it. Nothing can be more secure than a pledge of this kind; its owner will redeem it at the hazard of his life. The beard was never cut off but in mourning, or as a sign of slavery.”
1Chronicles 19:6 ¶ And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah.
1Chronicles 19:7 So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.
1Chronicles 19:8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
In some way, the word got back to Ammon that their actions had greatly offended David. Expecting him to attack, they immediately sent 1000 talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from the Syrians to help them. They hired a total of 32,000 chariots, and the armies of Maachah came to reinforce the men of Ammon.
The NIV Commentary notes that the 1000 talents of silver weighed over 37 tons.
When David heard that they were preparing for war, he sent Joab in command of all his mighty men out to meet them in battle.
1Chronicles 19:9 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.
1Chronicles 19:10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.
1Chronicles 19:11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.
1Chronicles 19:12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.
1Chronicles 19:13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.
The troops of Ammon gathered at the entrance of the gate to the kingdom, and the Syrians positioned themselves out in the fields. When Joab realized that he faced attack both ahead and behind, he chose his best men to go with him and face the Syrians. Because he chose the best of the mighty men, he must have considered the Syrians to be the stronger fighters. The rest of the men he put under his brother Abishai’s command to face the troops of Ammon. It was agreed that if either group needed help, the other would come to their rescue.
Before leading them into battle, Joab urged the men to be courageous and strong and remember that they were fighting for Israel and the cities of “our” God. He then called for the LORD’s will to be done. Joab didn’t just assume that the LORD would give them the victory. He was willing to lead his men into battle with their lives dependent upon the LORD’s will.
That’s pretty inspiring. I am sure that Joab thought their cause was just, but he still didn’t presume upon the LORD’s blessing. That is pretty much my mindset when I pray. I never doubt that God is able to answer my prayers or that my prayers are for the good (at least from my perspective). My only doubt is whether God has a higher purpose that would make it better for Him not to answer my prayer in accordance with what seems right to me.
I liked Guzik’s observation on verse 13: “Courage and strength are not matters of feeling and circumstance. They are matters of choice, especially when God makes His strength available to us.”
1Chronicles 19:14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.
1Chronicles 19:15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.
1Chronicles 19:16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer wentbefore them.
As Joab and his troops went against the Syrians, they fled before him. When the troops of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they fled back into the city before the troops led by Abishai.
Joab then went back to Jerusalem.
When the Syrians realized that they had been defeated by the troops of Israel, they regathered; they weren’t ready to accept defeat. Hadarezer sent reinforcements under the command of Shobach, his chief military commander, to join them on the other side of the Euphrates River.
1Chronicles 19:17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.
1Chronicles 19:18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.
1Chronicles 19:19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.
When David was informed of this, he gathered all the troops of Israel and led them across Jordan to meet them in battle. Once again the Syrians were put to rout before David and the troops of Israel. David killed 7000 charioteers, 40,000 footmen and Shobach, the captain of the Syrian host.
When the kings that were subject to Hadarezer learned what had happened, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. Ammon could no longer count on help from the Syrians who now feared Israel.
Courson makes application to being “more than a conqueror” (Romans 8:37)—“to not only gain victory against the sin that seeks to dominate us, but, to make it our servant as it serves to show us our need for the Lord every step of the way.”
1Chronicles 20:1 ¶ And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it.
The opening verse indicates a continuation of the narrative from the previous chapter.
David did not go to seek retribution against Ammon right away; he waited until the year had expired, until the season changed (to Spring), and the weather was once again conducive to fighting battles with the enemy.
The NIV Commentary provides this insight: “Springtime, which marks the end of the rainy season in the Middle East, assures that roads will be in good condition (or at least passable), that there will be plenty of fodder for war horses and pack animals, and that an army on the march will be able to raid the fields for food.”
Instead of leading his men in battle, as was expected by custom, David sent his army out under the command of Joab, his military commander; but he stayed in Jerusalem. Their purpose—to destroy the children of Ammon and set siege to Rabbah, the capital city (current day Amman), about 40 miles east of Jerusalem.
Sadly, it is noted in the record in Samuel that it was during this time that David committed his sin with Bathsheba and ultimately ordered the murder of Uriah, her husband.
The troops of Israel led by Joab eventually attacked Rabbah and destroyed it.
The record in 2Samuel adds a bit more.
2 Samuel 12:27–29 “And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters. Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name. And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.”
The troops of Israel, under Joab’s leadership, had essentially conquered Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon. He sent word to inform David and urged him to gather the rest of his troops and come and join him on the battlefield before Joab was given all the credit and the conquered city named after him.
Research reveals the following: Rabbah was divided into two parts—the lower town called the city of waters and the upper and stronger town, called the royal city. The lower town was taken by Joab, but the honor of capturing so strongly a fortified place as the royal city was an honor reserved for the king himself.
1Chronicles 20:2 And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David’s head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city.
1Chronicles 20:3 And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
David followed Joab’s advice and joined the battle, eventually taking possession of the whole city. He took the king’s crown off the head of Ammon’s king, a crown that was made from a talent of gold and was embedded with precious stones. The crown was placed on David’s head, and his men gathered a great amount of treasure from the city as the spoils of victory.
According to the available information, this crown would have been too heavy for David to wear if it actually weighed a talent of gold. Commentators note that it weighed between 75-125 pounds. JFB states, “…like many other state crowns of Eastern kings, the crown got at Rabbah was not worn on the head, but suspended by chains of gold above the throne.”
I think the main point is that the crown was very valuable and became David’s by right of conquest.
Again, we learn more from the book of Samuel. I liked the ESV translation—2 Samuel 12:31 “And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.”
1Chronicles 20:4 ¶ And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.
1Chronicles 20:5 And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver’s beam.
1Chronicles 20:6 And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant.
1Chronicles 20:7 But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David’s brother slew him.
1Chronicles 20:8 These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
Some time later a war developed at Gezer against the Philistines. During this battle, from which they emerged victorious, Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the children of the giant.
Yet another battle against the Philistines occurred in which Elhanan, son of Jair, killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the giant David killed with his sling. Like his brother before him, Lahmi carried a great spear like a weaver’s beam.
In yet another battle at Gath, there was a very tall man that had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, another son of the giant. When he came out to defy Israel, Jonathan, son of Shimea (David’s brother), killed him.
Verse 8 seems to imply that “the giant” referenced in verses 4 and 6 is Goliath.
Guzik made an interesting application on verse 8 “they fell by the hand of David” – “Part of the idea is that David is conquering enemies now so it will be better for Solomon in the future. Our present victory is not only good for us now but it passes something important on to the next generation.”