Bible Chapter Summary
1 Chronicles 19 Summary
David's Mercy Rejected and War with Ammon
When Nahash king of Ammon dies and his son Hanun takes the throne, David purposes to show kindness to Hanun because Nahash had shown kindness to David, and sends messengers to comfort him. The princes of Ammon persuade Hanun that David's servants are spies, so Hanun shames David's servants by shaving them and cutting off their garments, sending them away in disgrace. When David learns of this insult, he sends Joab with all the mighty men to war; Hanun and the Ammonites hire thirty-two thousand chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia and Syria to fight. Joab separates his forces to fight Syrians and Ammonites; both armies flee, and the Syrians send for reinforcements from beyond the river under Shophach. David gathers all Israel, crosses Jordan, and sets battle array against the Syrians, who flee; David slays seven thousand chariots and forty thousand footmen, and kills Shophach, so the Syrians make peace with David and no longer help Ammon.
Key themes
Key verses
1 Chronicles 19:2-3
“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. 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?”
1 Chronicles 19:10-14
“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. 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. 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. 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. So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.”
1 Chronicles 19:17-19
“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. 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. 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.”
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