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Texts -- 1 Chronicles 19:1--20:3 (NET)

Context
David’s Campaign against the Ammonites
19:1 Later King Nahash of the Ammonites died and his son succeeded him. 19:2 David said , “I will express my loyalty to Hanun son of Nahash , for his father was loyal to me.” So David sent messengers to express his sympathy over his father’s death. When David’s servants entered Ammonite territory to visit Hanun and express the king’s sympathy , 19:3 the Ammonite officials said to Hanun , “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy ? No , his servants have come to you so they can get information and spy out the land !” 19:4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved their beards off . He cut off the lower part of their robes so that their buttocks were exposed and then sent them away . 19:5 Messengers came and told David what had happened to the men , so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated . The king said , “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow again; then you may come back .” 19:6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim , Aram Maacah , and Zobah . 19:7 They hired 32,000 chariots , along with the king of Maacah and his army , who came and camped in front of Medeba . The Ammonites also assembled from their cities and marched out to do battle . 19:8 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. 19:9 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance to the city , while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field . 19:10 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts , he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans . 19:11 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army and they were deployed against the Ammonites . 19:12 Joab said , “If the Arameans start to overpower me, you come to my rescue . If the Ammonites start to overpower you, I will come to your rescue . 19:13 Be strong ! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God ! The Lord will do what he decides is best !” 19:14 So Joab and his men marched toward the Arameans to do battle , and they fled before him. 19:15 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee , they fled before Joab’s brother Abishai and withdrew into the city . Joab went back to Jerusalem . 19:16 When the Arameans realized they had been defeated by Israel , they sent for reinforcements from beyond the Euphrates River , led by Shophach the commanding general of Hadadezer’s army . 19:17 When David was informed , he gathered all Israel , crossed the Jordan River , and marched against them. David deployed his army against the Arameans for battle and they fought against him. 19:18 The Arameans fled before Israel . David killed 7,000 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 infantrymen ; he also killed Shophach the commanding general . 19:19 When Hadadezer’s subjects saw they were defeated by Israel , they made peace with David and became his subjects . The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites . 20:1 In the spring , at the time when kings normally conduct wars, Joab led the army into battle and devastated the land of the Ammonites . He went and besieged Rabbah , while David stayed in Jerusalem . Joab defeated Rabbah and tore it down . 20:2 David took the crown from the head of their king and wore it (its weight was a talent of gold and it was set with precious stones ). He took a large amount of plunder from the city . 20:3 He removed the city’s residents and made them do hard labor with saws , iron picks , and axes . This was his policy with all the Ammonite cities . Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Joab

    [isbe] JOAB - jo'-ab (yo'-abh, "Yahweh is father"; Ioab): (1) Son of Zeruiah, David's sister. He was "captain of the host" (compare 2 Sam 19:13) under David. 1. Joab and Abner: (a) Joab is first introduced in the narrative of the w...
    [nave] JOAB 1. Son of David's sister, 1 Chr. 2:16. Commander of David's army, 2 Sam. 8:16; 20:23; 1 Chr. 11:6; 18:15; 27:34. Dedicated spoils of his battles, 1 Chr. 26:28. Defeated the Jebusites, 1 Chr. 11:6. Defeats and slays ...

  • Zobah

    [isbe] ZOBAH - zo'-ba (tsobhah; Souba): The name is derived by Halevy from zehobhah as referring to its supplies of "bright yellow" brass; but this word might be more appropriately used to contrast its cornfields with white Lebanon...
    [nave] ZOBAH, called also Zoba; Aram-zobah; Hamath-zobah. A kingdom in the N. of Palestine, 1 Sam. 14:47. Conquest of, by David, 2 Sam. 8:3-8, 12; 1 Kin. 11:23, 24; 1 Chr. 18:2-9. Its inhabitants mercenaries of the Ammonites again...

  • Hanun

    [isbe] HANUN - ha'-nun (chanun, "favored," "pitied"): (1) A son and successor of Nahash, king of Ammon. Upon the death of Nahash, David sent sympathetic communications to Hanun, which were misinterpreted and the messengers dishonor...
    [smith] (favored). Son of Nahash (2 Samuel 10:1,2; 1 Chronicles 19:1,2) king of Ammon, who dishonored the ambassadors of David, (2 Samuel 10:4) and involved the Ammonites in a disastrous war, (2 Samuel 12:31; 1 Chroni...
    [nave] HANUN, successor of Nahash as king of Ammon, dishonors David's ambassadors, 2 Sam. 10; 1 Chr. 19.

  • Ammonites

    [nave] AMMONITES Descendants of Ben-ammi, one of the sons of Lot, Gen. 19:38. Character of, Judg. 10:6; 2 Kin. 23:13; 2 Chr. 20:25; Jer. 27:3, 9; Ezek. 25:3, 6; Amos 1:13; Zeph. 2:10. Territory of, Num. 21:24; Deut. 2:19; Josh. 1...

  • David

    [isbe] DAVID - da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon): I. NAME AND GENEALOGY II. EARLY YEARS 1. Shepherd 2. Slinger 3. Harpist 4. Poet 5. Psalmist 6. Tribesman III....
    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Medeba

    [ebd] waters of quiet, an ancient Moabite town (Num. 21:30). It was assigned to the tribe of Reuben (Josh. 13:16). Here was fought the great battle in which Joab defeated the Ammonites and their allies (1 Chr. 19:7-15; comp. 2 Sam...
    [isbe] MEDEBA - med'-e-ba (medhebha'; Maidaba, Medaba): The name may mean "gently flowing water," but the sense is doubtful. This city is first mentioned along with Heshbon and Dibon in an account of Israel's conquests (Nu 21:30). ...
    [nave] MEDEBA A city of Moab, Num. 21:30. An idolatrous high place, Isa. 15:2. Allotted to Reuben, Josh. 13:9, 16. David defeats army and the Ammonites at, 1 Chr. 19:7-15.

  • Chronicles, Books of

    [ebd] The two books were originally one. They bore the title in the Massoretic Hebrew Dibre hayyamim, i.e., "Acts of the Days." This title was rendered by Jerome in his Latin version "Chronicon," and hence "Chronicles." In the Sep...

  • Hadadezer

    [ebd] Hadad is help; called also Hadarezer, Adod is his help, the king of Zobah. Hanun, the king of the Ammonites, hired among others the army of Hadadezer to assist him in his war against David. Joab, who was sent against this co...
    [nave] HADADEZER, called also Hadarezer. King of Zobah, vanquished by David, 2 Sam. 8:3-13; 10:15-19; 1 Kin. 11:23; 1 Chr. 18:3-10; 19:6-19.

  • Shobach

    [ebd] poured out, the "captain of the host of Hadarezer" when he mustered his vassals and tributaries from beyond "the river Euphrates" (2 Sam. 10:15-18); called also Shophach (1 Chr. 19:16).
    [isbe] SHOBACH - sho'-bak (shobhakh; Sobak): Captain of the Syrian host (2 Sam 10:16,18); but "Shophach" (shophakh) in 1 Ch 19:16,18.
    [smith] (expansion), the general of Hadarezer king of the Syrians of Zoba, who was defeated by David. (2 Samuel 10:15-18) In (1 Chronicles 19:16) he is called SHOPHACH. (B.C. 1034.)
    [nave] SHOBACH Captain of the host of Hadarezer. Slain by David's army, 2 Sam. 10:16, 18. Called Shophach, 1 Chr. 19:16, 18.

  • Rabbah

    [isbe] RABBAH - rab'-a: (1) (rabbah; Rhabba, Rhabbath, Rhabban. The full name is rabbath bene `ammon; he akra ton huion Ammon, Rhabbath huion Ammon, "Rabbah of the children of Ammon"): This alone of the cities of the Ammonites is m...
    [smith] (great). A very strong place on the east of the Jordan, and the chief city of the Ammonites. In five passages -- (3:11; 2 Samuel 12:26; 17:27; Jeremiah 49:2; Ezekiel 21:20) --it is styled at length Rabbath of the Ammonite...
    [nave] RABBAH 1. Called also Rabbath. A city E. of the Jordan, originally belonging to the Ammonites, Josh. 13:25. Bedstead of the giant Og kept at, Deut. 3:11. Taken by David, 2 Sam. 11:1; 12:26-31; 1 Chr. 20:1-3. Possessed aga...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Mesopotamia

    [smith] (between the rivers), the entire country between the two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. This is a tract nearly 700 miles long and from 20 to 250 miles broad, extending in a southeasterly direction from Telek to Kurnah ...
    [nave] MESOPOTAMIA The country between the Tigris and the Euphrates. Abraham a native of, Acts 7:2. Nahor dwelt in, Gen. 24:10. People who dwelt in, called Syrians, Gen. 25:20. Balaam from, Deut. 23:4. The children of Israel su...

  • GIANTS

    [isbe] GIANTS - ji'-ants The word appears in the King James Version as the translation of the Hebrew words nephilim (Gen 6:4; Nu 13:33); repha'im (Dt 2:11,20; 3:11,13; Josh 12:4, etc.); rapha' (1 Ch 20:4,6,8), or raphah (2 Sam 21:1...

  • MAACAH

    [isbe] MAACAH - ma'-a-ka (ma`akhah; Septuagint: Codex Vaticanus Mocha; Codex Alexandrinus Maacha): A small Syrian kingdom adjoining that of Geshur on the western border of Bashan, the inhabitants of which are called Maachathites (t...
    [smith] (oppression). The mother of Absalom; also called MAACHAH. (2 Samuel 3:3) Maacah, or (in (1 Chronicles 19:6,7)) Maachah, a small kingdom in close proximity to Palestine which appears to have lain outside Argob, (3:14) a...

  • Harrow

    [ebd] (Heb. harits), a tribulum or sharp threshing sledge; a frame armed on the under side with rollers or sharp spikes (2 Sam. 12:31; 1 Chr. 20:3). Heb. verb sadad, to harrow a field, break its clods (Job 39:10; Isa. 28:4; Hos. 1...
    [smith] The word so rendered, (2 Samuel 12:31; 1 Chronicles 20:3) is probably a threshing-machine. The verb rendered "to harrow," (Job 39:10; Isaiah 28:24; Hosea 10:11) expresses apparently the breaking of the clods, and is so ...
    [nave] HARROW, an agricultural implement used as an instrument of torture, 2 Sam. 12:31; 1 Chr. 20:3.

  • Samuel, Books of

    [ebd] The LXX. translators regarded the books of Samuel and of Kings as forming one continuous history, which they divided into four books, which they called "Books of the Kingdom." The Vulgate version followed this division, but ...

  • GENEALOGY, 8 part 2

    [isbe] GENEALOGY, 8 part 2 - I. Primeval Genealogies (1 Chronicals 1:1-54). To show Israel's place among the nations; follows Genesis closely, omitting only the Cainites; boldly, skillfully compressed, as if the omitted facts were ...

  • Maachah

    [ebd] oppression, a small Syrian kingdom near Geshur, east of the Hauran, the district of Batanea (Josh. 13:13; 2 Sam. 10:6,8; 1 Chr. 19:7). (2.) A daughter of Talmai, king of the old native population of Geshur. She became one of...
    [nave] MAACHAH 1. Son of Nahor, Gen. 22:24. 2. Called also Maacah. Mother of Absalom, 2 Sam. 3:3; 1 Chr. 3:2. 3. Called also Maoch. Father of Achish, 1 Sam. 27:2; 1 Kin. 2:39. 4. Called also Michaiah. Mother of Abijam and grandm...

  • Armies

    [nave] ARMIES Who of the Israelites were subject to service in, Num. 1:2, 3; 26:2; 2 Chr. 25:5; who were exempt from service in, Num. 1:47-50; 2:33; Deut. 20:5-9; Judg. 7:3. Enumeration of Israel's military forces, Num. 1:2, 3; 26...

  • Syria

    [ebd] (Heb. Aram), the name in the Old Testament given to the whole country which lay to the north-east of Phoenicia, extending to beyond the Euphrates and the Tigris. Mesopotamia is called (Gen. 24:10; Deut. 23:4) Aram-naharain (...
    [nave] SYRIA, highlands lying between the river Euphrates and the Mediterranean Sea. Called Aram, from the son of Shem, Gen. 10:22, 23; Num. 23:7; 1 Chr. 1:17; 2:23. In the time of Abraham it seems to have embraced the region betwe...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Another instance of incomplete obedience followed the great victory God gave His people and the military commanders' sacrificial, voluntary worship of Yahweh.32:1-19 Maybe the leaders of Reuben and Gad concluded that their br...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • These chapters form a sub-section within the Court History portion of 2 Samuel.157The phrase "Now it happened"or "Now it was"(10:1; 13:1) always opens a new section.158Descriptions of Israel's victories over the Ammonites (10...
  • This section prepares for David's adultery with Bathsheba (ch. 11) by giving us the historical context in which that sin took place. It also shows David's growing power that led to his sinning.161This event must have taken pl...
  • In spite of David's rebellion God granted his army victory over the Ammonites. David's military leaders evidently executed the defeated warriors (1 Chron. 20:3) and forced many of the people to do labor of various kinds to su...
  • The central subject of 1 and 2 Chronicles is the temple of God. Someone evidently wrote these books at the end of the Babylonian exile to encourage the Israelites to reestablish Israel's national life in the Promised Land. In...
  • I. Israel's historical roots chs. 1-9A. The lineage of David chs. 1-3B. The house of Israel chs. 4-71. The family of Judah 4:1-232. The family of Simeon 4:24-433. The families of Transjordan ch. 54. The family of Levi ch. 65....
  • "Having established the remnant's genealogical link with the Davidic and priestly lines, he [the writer] focused on the groundwork of the Davidic promises. His design was to show how the kingly and priestly concerns came toge...
  • "In the Chronicler's eyes David's reign consisted of two great religious phases, his movement of the ark to Jerusalem (chs. 13-16) and his preparations for the building of the temple (chs. 17-19 or at least 17-22, 28, 29). Th...
  • The dominating theme in 1 Chronicles is the Davidic Covenant, the receiving of which was the most important event in David's life. God promised to give him an eternal kingdom, and He formalized that promise by making a covena...
  • In some particulars the promises God gave David related to himself personally. However other promises pertained to his descendants and, in particular, to one descendant who would do for Israel much more than David could do. I...
  • These chapters record the fulfillment of God's promised victory over David's enemies as part of the Davidic Covenant (17:8). David was successful because God helped him (18:6, 13; cf. 19:19).63Human kings only defeat themselv...
  • Chapter 21 records the fulfillment of God's second personal promise to David, namely, that He would appoint a place where Israel could dwell securely (17:9). This was a promise of peace for Israel, but as the verses following...
  • This chapter is unique to Chronicles. It records David's plans to assemble building materials and workers for the construction of the temple. He instructed Solomon carefully in what God had promised so his son would carry out...
  • Numbers in Chronicles That Disagree With Their Old Testament Parallels89HigherSameLowerParallel PassageEvaluation of ChroniclesA.1 Chron. 11:11300 slain by Jashobeam, not 8002 Sam. 23:8Scribal errorB.1 Chron. 18:4Hadadezer's ...
  • The Chronicler's main interest in David's reign, as we have seen, focused on the Davidic Covenant with its promises to David and his descendants. In recounting the events of Solomon's reign he proceeded to emphasize the templ...
  • This section of the text is similar to 1 Chronicles 18-21. Those chapters showed how God did keep His promises to David that the Chronicler recorded in 1 Chronicles 17:8-12. These chapters (8-9) show how God kept His promise ...
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