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1 Chronicles

1 Chronicleschapter 19

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A.Kindness repaid with shaved beards and cut garmentsvv. 1-5

1 Some time later, Nahash king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son. 2 And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console Hanun concerning his father. But when David’s servants arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him, 3 the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Have not his servants come to you to explore the land, spy it out, and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved their beards, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away. 5 When someone came and told David about his men, he sent messengers to meet them, since the men had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”

B.Joab caught between two armies: let us play the menvv. 6-15

6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah. 7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, as well as the king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba while the Ammonites came from their cities and marched out for battle. 8 On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men. 9 The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come stayed by themselves in the open country. 10 When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans. 11 And he placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites. 12 “If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue. 13 Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.” 14 So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him. 15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Joab’s brother Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.

C.The Syrians beyond the River broken for goodvv. 16-19

16 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them. 17 When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced toward the Arameans, and arrayed for battle against them. When David lined up to engage them in battle, they fought against him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach the commander of their army. 19 When Hadadezer’s subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were unwilling to help the Ammonites anymore.

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Chapter summary

David sends messengers to comfort Hanun of Ammon at his father's death; Hanun's counselors persuade him they are spies, and he shaves the men and cuts off their garments to the hip, a calculated humiliation that starts a war.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾

David sends messengers to comfort Hanun of Ammon at his father's death; Hanun's counselors persuade him they are spies, and he shaves the men and cuts off their garments to the hip, a calculated humiliation that starts a war. The Ammonites hire Syrian chariots by the thousand, and Joab finds himself caught between two fronts. He splits the army, takes the Syrians himself, gives the Ammonites to Abishai, and speaks the chapter's memorable line: 'Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let Jehovah do that which seemeth him good.' The Syrians flee, and after a second defeat refuse to help Ammon again.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Ezra — 1 Chronicles overview

  • A. 1–5 Kindness repaid with shaved beards and cut garments
  • B. 6–15 Joab caught between two armies: let us play the men
  • C. 16–19 The Syrians beyond the River broken for good
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • 2 Samuel 107 verses
    • 2 Samuel 10:1Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun.
    • 2 Samuel 10:4So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.
    • 2 Samuel 10:6When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.
    • 2 Samuel 10:9When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.
    • 2 Samuel 10:16Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.
    • 2 Samuel 10:18But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there.
    • Read 2 Samuel 10: 1 more there →
  • 1 Chronicles 183 verses
  • 1 Chronicles 113 verses
    • 1 Chronicles 11:6Now David had said, “Whoever is the first to strike down a Jebusite will become chief commander.” And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and he became the chief.
    • 1 Chronicles 11:10Now these were the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who, together with all Israel, bolstered and strengthened his kingdom, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.
    • 1 Chronicles 11:20Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Three, and he lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.
    • Read 1 Chronicles 11 →
  • 1 Kings 203 verses
    • 1 Kings 20:13Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
    • 1 Kings 20:24So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers.
    • 1 Kings 20:28Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
    • Read 1 Kings 20 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • 1 Chronicles 192 verses
    • 1 Chronicles 19:9The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come stayed by themselves in the open country.
    • 1 Chronicles 19:13Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.”
    • Read 1 Chronicles 19 →
  • Joshua 132 verses
    • Joshua 13:9The area from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon,
    • Joshua 13:16The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, to the whole plateau beyond Medeba,
    • Read Joshua 13 →
  • Nehemiah 42 verses
    • Nehemiah 4:14After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
    • Nehemiah 4:20Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”
    • Read Nehemiah 4 →
  • Psalms 182 verses

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.