# 1 Chronicles 19 đź“–: Victory Over the Ammonites
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
## David’s Campaign against the Ammonites
Principle: Teamwork
[[#Verse 01.]]Â Later King Nahash of the Ammonites died and his son succeeded him.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] David said, “I will express my loyalty to Hanun son of Nahash, for his father was loyal to me.” So David sent messengers to express his sympathy over his father’s death. When David’s servants entered Ammonite territory to visit Hanun and express the king’s sympathy,Â
[[#Verse 03.]] the Ammonite officials said to Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? No, his servants have come to you so they can get information and spy out the land!”Â
[[#Verse 04.]] So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved their beards off. He cut off the lower part of their robes so that their buttocks were exposed and then sent them away.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] People came and told David what had happened to the men, so he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow again; then you may come back.”
[[#Verse 06.]] When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah, and Zobah.Â
[[#Verse 07.]]Â They hired 32,000 chariots, along with the king of Maacah and his army, who came and camped in front of Medeba. The Ammonites also assembled from their cities and marched out to do battle.
[[#Verse 08.]]Â When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them.Â
[[#Verse 09.]]Â The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.Â
[[#Verse 10.]] When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans.
[[#Verse 11.]]Â He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army and they were deployed against the Ammonites.Â
[[#Verse 12.]] Joab said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, I will come to your rescue.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!”Â
[[#Verse 14.]] So Joab and his men marched toward the Arameans to do battle, and they fled before him.Â
[[#Verse 15.]] When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before Joab’s brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. Joab went back to Jerusalem.
[[#Verse 16.]] When the Arameans realized they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for reinforcements from beyond the Euphrates River, led by Shophach the commanding general of Hadadezer’s army.Â
[[#Verse 17.]] When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and marched against them. David deployed his army against the Arameans for battle and they fought against him.Â
[[#Verse 18.]] The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 7,000 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 infantrymen; he also killed Shophach the commanding general.Â
[[#Verse 19.]] When Hadadezer’s subjects saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. This chapter parallels 2 Samuel 10.
2. David wanted to show loyalty to Hanun because his father Nahash had shown kindness to David (19:2). Scripture does not say exactly when.
3. Hanun shaved David's messengers and cut their garments off at the buttocks (19:4), a deep public humiliation in that culture.
4. David told the men to stay in Jericho until their beards grew back (19:5), protecting their dignity.
5. The Ammonites paid 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and soldiers (19:6), a huge sum.
6. They hired 32,000 chariots along with the king of Maacah and his army, who camped near Medeba (19:7).
7. Joab split his forces and put his brother Abishai over the second army (19:10-11).
8. The numbers in 19:18 differ from 2 Samuel 10:18 (7,000 versus 700 charioteers), likely because of copying differences over time.
9. Shophach, the Aramean commander, was killed in the battle (19:18).
10. After this defeat the Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites (19:19).
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the King whose kindness can be refused. Hanun answered David's kindness with insult (19:2-4), and Jesus came to His own people, but His own did not receive Him (John 1:11).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Hanun's advisers made him suspicious of David's motives (19:3). How does suspicion damage relationships?
2. Joab and Abishai promised to help each other in the fight (19:12). Who has your back, and whose back do you have?
3. Joab fought hard but trusted the outcome to the Lord (19:13). How do we hold effort and trust together?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 2: David seeks to show kindness to Hanun because his father showed kindness to David.
- đź“– verse 13: Joab calls his men to be strong and fight for God's people, trusting the Lord to do what He thinks best.
- đź“– verse 19: Hadadezer's subjects make peace with David and serve him.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[2 Samuel 10|2 Samuel 10]] - The parallel account of the war with Ammon and Aram.
- đź”— [[Ecclesiastes 04#Verse 09.|Ecclesiastes 4:9-10]] - Two are better than one.
- đź”— [[Joshua 01#Verse 09.|Joshua 1:9]] - Be strong and courageous.
- đź”— [[Ephesians 06#Verse 10.|Ephesians 6:10-11]] - Be strong in the Lord.
- đź”— [[John 01#Verse 11.|John 1:11]] - His own people did not receive Him.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[1 Chronicles 19 - SOAP|Let Us Fight And Trust]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes