1 Chronicles 19

Listen to 1 Chronicles 19

The Ammonites Disgrace David's Men

1 1Now after this Nahash the king of the Ammonites died, and his son reigned in his place.
2 And David said, "I will deal kindly with Hanun the son of Nahash, for his father dealt kindly with me." So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. And David's servants came to the land of the Ammonites to Hanun to console him.
3 But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, "Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?"
4 So Hanun took David's servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away;
5 and they departed. When David was told concerning the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, "Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return."
6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents[a] of silver to hire chariots and horsemen 2from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah, and from 3Zobah.
7 They hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and encamped before 4Medeba. And the Ammonites were mustered from their cities and came to battle.
8 When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.
9 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

Ammonites and Syrians Defeated

10 When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians.
11 The rest of his men he put in the charge of 5Abishai his brother, and they were arrayed against the Ammonites.
12 And he said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you.
13 Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to him."
14 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near before the Syrians for battle, and they fled before him.
15 And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before 6Abishai, Joab's brother, and entered the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.
16 But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates, with 7Shophach the commander of the army of 8Hadadezer at their head.
17 And when it was told to David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to them and drew up his forces against them. And when David set the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.
18 And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 9 7,000 chariots and 40,000 10foot soldiers, and put to death also 11Shophach the commander of their army.
19 And when the servants of 12Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Syrians were not willing to save the Ammonites anymore.

Cross References 12

  • 1. For ver. 1-19, see 2 Samuel 10:1-19
  • 2. [2 Samuel 10:6]
  • 3. 1 Chronicles 18:5, 9
  • 4. Numbers 21:30; Joshua 13:9, 16
  • 5. 1 Chronicles 18:12
  • 6. [See ver. 11 above]
  • 7. [2 Samuel 10:16, 18]
  • 8. 2 Samuel 10:16
  • 9. [2 Samuel 10:18]
  • 10. [2 Samuel 10:18]
  • 11. [See ver. 16 above]
  • 12. [See ver. 16 above]

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms

1 Chronicles 19 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.