1 Chronicles 19:2

2 And David said, I shall do mercy with Hanun, the son of Nahash; for his father gave mercy to me. And David sent messengers, to comfort him on the death of his father. And when they were come into the land of the sons of Ammon, for to comfort Hanun (And when they were come into the land of the Ammonites, to comfort Hanun),

1 Chronicles 19:2 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 19:35

Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation
Or rather "within" it, as Noldius renders it, since they were not to go out of the door of it, ( Leviticus 8:33 ) whereas our version seems to leave it undetermined whether they abode without the door or within; where they were to continue,

day and night, seven days;
even the seven days of their consecration:

and keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die not;
not the charge of the tabernacle, and the service of it committed to them upon their investiture with their office, hereafter to be observed by them; but what was charged upon them to attend unto, during the seven days of their consecration; and the penalty being death in case of failure, was to make them more careful and cautious of transgressing; and which was the more necessary, as they were to be pure and holy at their entrance upon their work: and though this may seem somewhat severe, yet the aggravation of their sin would be the greater, as it was to a sacred and honourable work they were called, and to which they were now consecrating; and as what was required of them was what might easily be complied with: however Moses, to show that this was not of himself, but by divine authority, adds,

for so I am commanded;
that is, to declare unto them, that if they did not punctually observe the above orders, they must expect to die.

1 Chronicles 19:2 In-Context

1 Forsooth it befelled, that Nahash, [the] king of the sons of Ammon, died, and his son reigned for him. (And it befell, that Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, died, and his son reigned for him.)

2 And David said, I shall do mercy with Hanun, the son of Nahash; for his father gave mercy to me. And David sent messengers, to comfort him on the death of his father. And when they were come into the land of the sons of Ammon, for to comfort Hanun (And when they were come into the land of the Ammonites, to comfort Hanun),

3 the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, In hap thou guessest, that David, for cause of honour into thy father, sent men, that should comfort thee; and thou perceivest not, that his servants be come to thee to espy, and inquire, and to seek (through) thy land. (the princes of the Ammonites/the leaders of the Ammonites said to Hanun, Perhaps thou guessest that David, in honour of thy father, sent these men to comfort thee; and thou perceivest not, that his servants came to thee to spy, and to inquire, and to search out thy land.)

4 Therefore Hanun made bald and shaved the servants of David, and cutted the coats off them from the buttocks of them till to the feet; and let go them (and then he let them go).

5 And when they had gone forth, and had sent this to David, he sent into the meeting of them; for they had suffered great despite; and he commanded, that they should dwell in Jericho, till their beard(s) waxed, and then they should turn again. (And when they had gone forth, and had sent word about this to David, he sent a message to them; for they had suffered great despising, or great shame; and he commanded, that they should live in Jericho, until their beards grew again, and then they could return home.)