I Chronicles
19
This chapter runs very closely parallel with II Samuel
10:1-19; a chapter
also of nineteen verses. The slight differences between them avail to make
one
or the other narrative a little clearer or a little fuller. The time is only
marked, as in the first verse of the preceding chapter, by the
too general
formula, “after this.”
Between the last verse of the preceding chapter and
the
first of this, we find interposed, in the Book of Samuel, the account of
David’s thoughts and deeds of kindness “for Jonathan’s sake” to
Mephibosheth “of the house of
Saul,” who was a son of Jonathan, though
apparently not personally known at present to David.
The chapter gives an account of David’s war with Ammon and
temporarily, and the ungracious cause of the war — the
insult put upon
David’s messengers, when sent on a mission of kindly and
sincere
condolence, on occasion of the death of Nahash,
King of Ammon. Some
think that the contents of this chapter are in reality a
narration at greater
length and in fuller detail, belonging to the space occupied by
vs. 3-13 of
last chapter. They would, in like manner, identify II
Samuel 10:1-19
with
Ibid.ch. 8:3-13.
A Bundle of Mistakes (vs. 1-19)
This is a chapter of mistakes. Everything goes wrong; except,
indeed, that the wrong
is
righted inasmuch as the wrong-doers are worsted, and made to pay a heavy
penalty
for
their folly. David may be said to have erred in acting as if it were true:
meant well; his spirit is much to be commended. Gratitude for
past
kindnesses is a virtue which can hardly be over-praised; it is too
often
absent from those in whom we have a right to look for it. But the
Hebrew
king did not reckon on the churlishness of the Ammonite court.
The
princes of Ammon were men of a low and froward type, and were
incapable of crediting a neighboring power with simple and genuine
good
will. Hence an act of ingenuous goodness was entirely thrown
away;
indeed, it acted as a spark to a magazine; it brought about an
explosion of
national wrath. It is always well to wish to show kindness to any
and every
one, but it is not always well to put our wish into practice.
There is no
need to “cast pearls before swine” (Matthew 7). Only
we must take
care that this injunction of our Lord does not hinder us from
deeds of
courageous kindness. Judgment and generosity must go together in the
path of good will.
COUNSELLORS. (v. 3.) Hanun himself was probably
inclined to accept
David’s overture of condolence,
but he allowed himself to be overruled by
his “princes.” It is
wise to take counsel with others, but it is to be
remembered that there is often truth in the strong and bitter saying,
“Twelve wise men in counsel make one fool.” Experience shows that
where one man sees his way clearly, a number of men will often
confuse
one another and come to an unsound conclusion. We are not to
allow a
number of men to override a strong conviction, especially when
that
conviction is reached after prayer and consultation of God’s Word,
and
when it is on the side of generosity.
Doubtless these princes who
ascribed David’s action to a sinister desire “to
spy out the land” (v. 3)
considered themselves remarkably astute, and
believed that they had hit upon the truth. We know that they were
utterly
wrong. If they had accepted the ostensible object of the mission
as the real
one, if they had shown the smallest charity in their spirit
and credited David
with kindliness of heart, they would have been in the right. As
it was, their
suspicions only led them directly away from the truth. Be charitable,
and you will far more often be just than if you are habitually
suspicious.
amounting to outrage in all international codes, that was
perpetrated When
“Hanun took David’s servants,”
etc. (v. 4), wrought no good, and did an
immensity of harm to its authors. It led to disastrous defeat in war
(v.15),
and to a strong exasperation of feeling against them on the
part of a
powerful neighboring people. Insult
never answers. It hardens the heart
which indulges it; it rankles in the breast of him against whom it
is
leveled; and, sooner or later, it brings down retaliation and
penalty.
Moreover, it provokes Divine
condemnation (Matthew 5:22).
TRANSACTIONS WITH OUR FELLOWS. How little did these
Ammonites think that this act of
bravery and provocation would be
followed by the train of bitter consequences which ensued (vs.
6-15;
ch. 20:1-3)! How little did the Syrians, when they hired
themselves to the
Ammonites (vs. 6-7), imagine
that that mercenary militarism of theirs
would end in the double overthrow inflicted on them at the hand
of David
(vs. 14, 16, 18)!
We can never see how far our transactions will
extend;
there may be the largest and longest issues latent in very
humble
beginnings. Of nothing is this more true than strife (Proverbs 17:14;
James 3:5; Matthew 5:25-26).
GOD. In vain did
Syrians draw forth Syrians “beyond the
river” (v. 16)
to fight against
whithersoever he went” (ch.18:6,13), and to persist in an endeavor to
overcome him was only to “fight
against God” (Acts 5:39). When we
are seeking to crush truth,
righteousness, piety, Christian earnestness
and zeal, WE ARE BOUND TO BE BEATEN! (Wise counsel for the
MODERN SECULARISTS! CY – 2012) However
persistent we
may be, we shall surely be overcome in the end. It is hard to kick against
the goads of God (Acts
9:5).
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.” Nahash. It is possible
that this may be the Nahash of I Samuel 11:1-2 and
12:12, who, being signally
defeated by Saul, may have been the more inclined to show
partiality to David.
But it would appear that nearly sixty years had elapsed, and
if so, it must be held
very unlikely, and would point to the conclusion that it was his son whose
death
is
here in question. With this the statement of Josephus (‘
tally, which says that the Nahash of I
Samuel 11. was killed in the
destruction of the Ammonite army then wrought by Saul.
Possibly the
word “Nahash” was the official
title of kings of the Ammonites (and,
though considering its signification, i.e. serpent,
scarcely a flattering one
from a modern point of view, yet this is overruled by the
association of the
attribute of wisdom with the serpent in olden time,
of which we have more
than a trace in Matthew 10:16), as “Pharaoh” of kings of
2 “And
David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of
Nahash, because his father shewed
kindness to me.” – The instance of
kindness here alluded to is not recorded. There may have been many
opportunities and calls for it during David’s persecuted life, and when
the
Ammonite king would feel a motive beyond any intrinsic
goodness of heart
to
“show
kindness” to the youth who was Saul’s
object of hatred. It is,
however, very remarkable that we find a genuine kindliness towards
David
still cleaving to the succession of Ammonite kings, even after
the events of
this chapter (II Samuel 17:27-29). Hanun. Nothing else is known of this
Hanun. Though here the name of an Ammonite king, we
find it in
Nehemiah 3:13, 30, the name of two of those who helped
repair the
city. The Assyrian Inscriptions contain the name as that of a
Philistine
king, tributary to Tiglath-pileser (see ‘Speaker’s
Commentary’). “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.”
Kindness and Sympathy (v.2)
Stern warrior though David was, and capable of severe and
even cruel actions,
he
nevertheless had a warm and tender heart. So much might be gathered from
the
story of his youthful affection for Jonathan, and from that of his subsequent
forbearance towards Saul. In more mature years he retained the warm
sensibilities
of
humanity. Thus, when the King of Ammon died, David
felt sincerely for his son
and
successor, and, that he might give expression to his kindly sympathy, “sent
messengers to comfort
him concerning his father.” His
compassionate feelings,
and
his courteous and graceful
expression of them, are suggestive of some reflections
upon human
kindness and sympathy.
deep in human nature, and are, in fact, as much natural social
principles, as
self-love is a principle of individual action. They are implanted by God,
and are akin to HIS
OWN GRACIOUS AND BENEVOLENT
DISPOSTION. He
is a God of “love and kindness;” “in
all our
afflictions He is afflicted”
(Isaiah 63:9). Especially is this apparent
in REDEMPTION! It was
compassion that animated the Divine
Father in His
purpose to save our sinful race. It was love that
actuated THE INCARNATION AND
SACRIFICE OF
IMMANUEL! The dispositions, then, of which we are
treating
have their DEEP FOUNDATION
IN THE CHARACTER,
THE ATTRIBUTES OF
OUR CREATOR! So far from being
signs of human weakness, they are an
honor and ornament of
humanity.
Human life is such as to call
them forth. No man, no woman, can go
through life without abundant opportunity for the display of these
qualities.
In times of health and
prosperity there is comparatively little occasion for
sympathy and tender kindness. But times
of trouble, sickness, suffering,
adversity, bereavement, must come to all men. Such times are the
providentially appointed opportunities for kindly sympathy. Then the
friend
will “show himself
friendly” (Proverbs 18:24). David’s heart was touched
by the tidings of his friend’s death, and he was drawn to
show kindness to the
living son for the sake of the deceased father. A sense of
gratitude naturally
and properly gave acuteness to these feelings. David had in former days
received kindness from Nahash, and on
this account he all the more felt
the claim of the fatherless son upon his friendly sympathy.
These must be determined by
circumstances, according to relative age,
social position, and character. Sometimes by sympathizing
expression of
countenance and manner, sometimes by words spoken or written,
sometimes by services, sometimes by appropriate and seasonable
gifts, we
may show our cordial sympathy, and thus rivet the sacred bonds of
humanity and of friendship. David on this occasion sent envoys to his
friend’s son, to condole with him and to assure him of his good
feeling and
his good wishes. Such action must in the circumstances have
proved
gratifying and strengthening. Wisdom
and tact will discern the
most
suitable way of acting in the several cases which may arise.
still more to despise kindness, is the sign of an unjust and an
ignoble mind.
Shall we leave out of sight, in
reckoning life’s riches, the precious
sympathy, the dear kindness, of our kindred and our friends? These
dispositions have a value which only the heats can appraise; they are
in
themselves precious, and no just mind would barter them for diamonds
and
gold. They have also a practical and substantial worth. When one friend is
taken from us for a season, it is no mean advantage to have
another
friend, upon whose
counsel we may lean, and upon whose sympathy
and faithfulness we may count. Human kindness is a poor substitute for
DIVINE COMPASSION but it may well prove one of its fairest
flowers, its richest fruits.
3 “But the
princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest
thou that David doth honor thy father,” - The Hebrew is, “In thine eyes
doth David?” “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?” The
order of to overthrow, and to spy out is reversed in
II Samuel 10:3.
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.
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
return.” The classical scholar will not fail to be reminded, so far
as the
shaving here spoken of is concerned, of the account contained in
Herodotus, 2:121. The parallel place makes the resemblance
close, in that
it
tells us that “one-half of their beards” was
shaved. (II Samuel 10:4).
To shave them was an affront to their customs, dignity, and
religion: to shave
them half added mockery; and to cut off half their garments completed the
tale of ignominious and contemptuous insult (Isaiah 20:4). The beard was
held almost in reverence by Easterns.
6 “And
when the children of Ammon saw that they had made
themselves
odious” – The
Hebrew root of very strong force, vaB;, is here employed, and
which our Authorized Version translates, both in the parallel place
and elsewhere,
far
more uncompromisingly
than here - “to David, Hanun and the children
of Ammon sent a
thousand talents of silver” - Not stated in Samuel.
This talent was of three thousand shekels, believed to be
equivalent to
f342 - “to
hire them chariots and horsemen out of
The parallel place has Aram-beth-rehob,
instead of our Aram-naharaim
(“Syria of the Two Rivers,” i.e. Tigris and
Euphrates; Authorized Version, -
“
that those strictly called “of
very partial. It is observable that the numbers of men supplied by Beth-rehob,
Zobah,
and Ishtob in the parallel place (viz. thirty-two
thousand) agree with
the
numbers of this verse, from which we may conclude that, whatever
Aram-beth-rehob (probably either Reho-both on the Euphrates, or Rehob
last of
they here substantially mean the same. It is possible that the difference is
that of a corrupt text or careless copying. The Aram-naharaim
(
which comes before us first in Genesis 24:10, passes out of
Scripture language
after the defeats of this chapter — the tract of country which
it designated
(some seven hundred miles by
twenty to two hundred and fifty) being
absorbed, first by Assyria, and afterwards by
reveal the fact that
separate tribes at the period of the judges and the early Jewish
monarchy,
which is quite consistent with the glimpses we here get of it and
its people.
“ and out of Syria-maachah,”
- probably
designates the tract of country north
of
East Manasseh, bordering on
Hermon, and on its east, Salcah
- “and out of Zobah.” - (see ch.18:3, note;
I Samuel 14:47). The parallel place adds also “the men of Ishtob.”
(II Samuel
10:6)
7 “So they
hired thirty and two thousand chariots,” – The
reading in the
parallel place is evidently
what is intended (compare ch.18:4 with its
parallel, II Samuel 8:4). Clearly a stop should follow the numeral,
which
designates the number of the men under arms. “and the king of
Maachah and his people; who came
and pitched before Medeba.”
Some four miles south-cast of Heshbon
(Numbers 21:30; Joshua 13:9,16;
Isaiah 15:2), or others give it as
nine miles. It is not given in Samuel.
“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.” The kings. Compare this and v. 19 with v.19 of
II Samuel 10:19, 8).
10 “Now
when Joab saw that the battle was set against him
before and
behind, he chose out of all the choice of
against the Syrians.” The meaning in
brief of this verse is that, as Joab found
there were practically two enemies, and two armies to face, he
avoided the
mistake of being shut up between them more than necessary, and
divided
his
own hosts. He took the flower of all, under his own command, to face
the
Syrians in the field, who were the most formidable of the enemy. The
rest he put under his brother Abishai, to face the
Ammonites at the gate,
i.e. of the city Medeba. The plan succeeded, for if Abishai
had only done as
much as hold back the Ammonites awhile, so soon as they saw the Syrians
break and flee they knew that Joab and
his army would be free to “help”
Abishai.
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. 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.” This is equivalent to saying
that, for what he deemed sufficient reasons, Joab did not stay to besiege
the Ammonites in the city, within the wails of which they
had taken refuge,
nor to pursue the Syrians. Hence we find these latter soon
made bold to
rally and to get additional aid.
16 “And
when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before
beyond the river:” - i.e. the river
parallel place spelt Shobach. Of
him nothing else is known except his
death, as recorded in v. 18 and in II Samuel 10:18 - “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,” – The reading of the parallel passage is
probably correct, i.e. they “came to Helam,” inasmuch as the place is
repeated, both in vs. 16-17. Nothing else, however, is known of Helam.
The Septuagint has AiJla>m – Hailam - “ 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,” – The parallel
passage has the men of seven hundred chariots. There could not be
ten
fighting men to a chariot. The reading of Samuel is more likely to
be
correct than our present reading -
“and forty thousand footmen,”
-
The parallel place shows “horsemen.” - “and killed Shophach
the
captain of the host.”
19 “And
when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put
to
the worse before
servants:” – i.e. his tributaries and vassals - “ neither would the Syrians
help the children of Ammon
any more.”
The Ill Work of Suspicion (vs. 1-19)
Human hearts, human life, make history; and
according as these are willingly or
unwillingly beneath the strong overruling control of Divine providence
do they make
history that gladdens the heart to read, or that makes ashamed. It cannot be told
for
how much civilized society has to be
thankful that it possesses such models as
the
biography and history of Scripture
afford, and mankind that it is offered such
wealth of
wisest and most needed instruction. The present chapter is notable for a
very simple tale of the weaving of unmitigated mischief by
the swift play of
that little shuttle, the shuttle of suspicion. Kindness and
goodness and
wisdom — the works of these are for it miserably unravelled; and neither
does it do itself any good, it incurs swift
destruction. This portion of
history teaches:
was, some time had elapsed since his kindness to David. For
that kindness
will have belonged to the time of David’s need. All this is
reversed now.
Ingratitude would have all the
sooner forgotten it, now that David’s
circumstances were so altered, had the heart of David been of the bad,
ungrateful sort. But this was not so, and the kindness of Nahash had
dropped a good seed in the good soil of David’s heart. It was not
a mere
memory. It was not an action eagerly accepted in the pressing
hour, but
disparaged, depreciated, discounted in selfish thought after that
hour had
passed. It was not turned
into a reason for avoiding the sight of the
person to whom debt was due, or for dropping communication with
him. Kindnesses rendered often get treatment of this sort — i.e.
no return
or ill return. But this is not the fault of the kindness. It lies
at the door of the
bad, ungrateful heart of the person to whom it has been shown.
Otherwise
seeds of kindness possess great vitality.
CIRCUMSTANCES UNFAVOURABLE TO IT. Strongest affections
often grow in most untoward clime and place. They throw their
roots
down with vigorous determination, in stony, rocky places. The
little soil
they find in groove, chink, fissure, is often good and rich,
however, and
they use it well, and ere long make the rift larger, and
acquire thereby more
moisture and more deposit of soil. And it is so with kindness. The
most
diverse nature will appreciate it most. Sometimes just because it
is
unexpectedly offered to the foreigner, the outcast, the despised, the
undeserving, the notorious sinner, the man whom a thousand give up as
a
hardened hopeless man, for one who entertains a contrary thought,
it takes
amazingly to the soil, and becomes ere long a vast and fruitful
growth. And
now, what had impressed David much was, that when his father
and
mother, and king and people, had “forsaken” him (not all of
choice by any
means), an Ammonite had “taken
him up,” and shown kindness to him.
has been said, we do not know the exact length in this case.
But a
considerable number of years had probably passed. And they were years
which had been crowded with the kind of events which would drive
many
and many a thing out of the mind, and alter the proportions
and the look of
things, and correct many an exaggerated estimate, and naturally help a
man to forget how hungry he once was, and how unsheltered,
and
how friendless, and
how downcast in heart.
KINDLIEST FRUITS OF HUMAN NATURE. Here was the kindness
of Nahash about to show its remoter
and its higher description of good result.
It had fulfilled its first
office of real, practical, perhaps saving service to
David. But now its offspring,
its scion of generous kind, was to become
apparent to God and to men. It was wishful to make its returns. It
was
going to show the reproductive nature. No fault of its own, it
is balked,
injured, cruelly blighted. It is a testimony that good things in
this world are
not secure of their good influence, that goodness postulates
not
unfrequently
a good sphere. Once Goodness
itself “came to its own,”
but its own “knew it not,” refused it, put it to open shame,
crucified it!
(John 1:11)
No; in this case, for instance,
it is only too explicable. Of the blights of
nature, it may be said, that they are free of blame to men,
though not free
of disaster to them. They are borne on the winds of heaven,
and in a sense
must be said to come of the will of heaven, much as those winds
themselves. No earthly power can stay them, or do more than partially
provide against their incursion — partially undo and recover their
mischief.
But not so is it with the moral
and spiritual blights we know and see in our
own life, in the larger area of human history. Here it is
manifestly due to
two conspiring causes,
Ø
To the bad advisers of
suspicion. The princes of the
children of
Ammon, round Hanun, are wise above
what was written, above
what was true. They were bad advisers, not because
they meant ill
to their master, not because they were false to him, not
because, like
Job’s comforters, they were
hard and unsympathetic, and their
theology as shallow as it was presumptuous; but because they
were feeding on suspicion. Their philosophy of human nature was
to
fault. They had experience, had had doubtless much experience of
SELFISH
HUMAN LIFE AND CHARACTER. Their
induction of instances was insufficient, and thinking “themselves to
be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:22)
Ø
To the weakness of the ruling
head. Hanun
himself had to make the
decision; he was answerable for the verdict; he presumably had more
material than his advisers within the compass of his knowledge, and
he
might have overruled them and their suspicion. “In the multitude of
counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14; 24:6), but the multitude
must be large enough, and varied enough, and representative
enough,
and it was not so now. How many
a ruler, from Rehoboam down to
our present age, has ruined himself and his nation, and involved
them both in utterest curse of most devastating murderous war,
because of his individual lack of sound judgment, of wise and
understanding heart,
of prayer and piety unfeigned!
Suspicion has its use, with every other power of our nature, but now
it
was misused. Suspicion is
ever a faculty to be suspected of the wise
man. Suspiciousness is
one of the unhappiest of all tendencies of the
disposition. It should be jealously used and scrupulously guarded.
·
THE VAST GROWTH OF STRIFE, INIQUITY, UTTER MISERY,
THAT MAY COME OF THE ONE FALSE STEP, OF ONE MAN
Hence now came wars, and those
who did the mischief were the first to
fly to the thought of war, and to prepare for battle. Their
foolishness and
iniquity returned upon their own pate. But not there alone. How many
thousands of others were involved in the common slaughter!
·
LAST OF
ALL, THE DIVINE UTILIZATION OF HUMAN
ERROR,
HUMAN SIN. David’s enemies, after all, are
they who are
exterminated or nearly so. And some, who had “halted between
two
opinions” (I Kings 18:21), repented of their indecision. They “made
peace
with David and “became his servants” (v.19).
But, in addition
to this, they learned not to “help the children of Ammon
any more.”
(Ibid.) The victory was won
for God. Strength was gained for His chosen
people, and confidence wrought afresh in them in their Divine
Captain. And
withal surrounding nations learnt something of the truth, and
with whom
peace were best to seek, surest to find.
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