1 Chronicles Chapter 19

The Ammonites Disgrace David's Men

• 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. 
• 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. 
• 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? 

Human nature sometimes produces either those that are suspicious and live in fear or those that are gullible and naive. Through faith in Christ, we are offered a new life of perfect love that overcomes all fear. Yet we also have discernment to know what is of God and what is not.  By studying His word and continuing to seek His presence in prayer with the mindset of wanting to know truth, we will find it. We don't have to be deceived by those that deceive but we don't have to be full of fear and assume everyone is out to do harm either.

Jesus said to Pilate in John 18:37.

• John 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 

So we see the words of Jesus saying, "Everyone that is of the truth hears His voice."

• 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. 

They could have just refused to see them but no...they had to humiliate them instead.

• 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 then return. 

In today's world we would wonder why they had to hide until their beards grew back again. It must have been a shame for men to not have beards at one time.

• 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. 
• 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. 
• 8  And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. 
• 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. 

This was a war started by those of Ammon, not by David. How shameful that someone wanted to show respect because of the death of their leader but was rejected out of fear.

Ammonites and Syrians Defeated

• 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. 
• 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. 
• 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. 
• 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. 

Joab seems to be mindful that the outcome of these battles were in God's hands.

• 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. 
• 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. 

The same fear that caused them to treat David's servants badly also caused them to flee when they thought they were going to be defearted.

• 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 went before them. 
• 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. 
• 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. 
• 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. 

They knew when to quit and stop helping the Ammonites in their battles. All this was caused by the spirit of fear and lack of kindness to David. So we see 7,000 men lost their lives for nothing.
The world after that had more of this kind of thing as one nation tried to conquer another. No one seems satisfied to stay in their own territory and mind their own business. Everyone wants to be a world dictator and control everyone. We still are having wars today and will have until the day Jesus returns to set up His kingdom. I'm looking forward to that day. -Dorna

1 Chronicles Chapter 20