1 Chronicles 19
International Standard Version
Subjugation of Ammon and Aram(A)
19 Some time later, King Nahash of Ammon died and his son succeeded him, 2 so David told himself, “I will be loyal to Nahash’s son Hanun, since his father showed loyal, gracious love to me.” So David sent a delegation[a] to console him about his loss of his[b] father.
But when David’s delegation arrived to visit[c] Hanun in Ammonite territory to console him, 3 the Ammonite officials asked Hanun, “Do you think that because David has sent a delegation of consolers to you that he is honoring your father? His delegation has arrived to search, overthrow, and scout the land, hasn’t it?” 4 So Hanun arrested David’s delegation, shaved off their beards, cut off their clothes at the waist line, and sent them away in disgrace.[d]
5 After they had departed, David was informed about the men, so he sent word[e] to them, since they had been deeply humiliated. He told them, “Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”
6 When the Ammonites realized that they had created quite a stink with David, Hanun and the Ammonites spent 1,000 silver talents[f] to hire chariots and mercenaries from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah, and from Zobah. 7 They hired 32,000 chariots, along with the king of Maacah and his army, who arrived and encamped at Medeba. The Ammonites also were mustered and came out to battle from their home cities. 8 In response, David sent out Joab and his entire army of elite soldiers. 9 The Ammonites went out in battle formation in front of the entrance to the city while the kings who had come stayed by themselves in the open fields.
10 When Joab observed that the battle lines were set up to oppose him both in front and behind, he appointed some special forces from Israel and arrayed them to oppose the Arameans, 11 putting the rest of his forces under command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them to oppose the Ammonites. 12 He told Abishai,[g] “If the Arameans prove too strong for me, then you are to help me. If the Ammonites prove too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 Be strong, be courageous on behalf of our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what he thinks is best.” 14 So Joab and the soldiers who were with him attacked the Arameans in battle formation, and the Arameans retreated in front of him. 15 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans retreating, they also retreated from Joab’s brother Abishai back to the city and Joab left for Jerusalem. 16 After the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for the Arameans who lived beyond the Euphrates River.[h] Shophach[i] was leading them as commander of Hadadezer’s army.
17 When David learned this, he mustered all of Israel, crossed the Jordan, approached the Arameans, and drew up his forces against them. After David had assembled in battle array against the Arameans, the Arameans[j] attacked him. 18 The Arameans retreated from Israel, and David’s forces[k] killed 7,000 Aramean charioteers, 40,000 soldiers, and Shophach, the commander of their army. 19 When Hadadezer’s officials saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sought terms of peace with David and became subservient to him. After this, the Arameans were unwilling to help the Ammonites anymore.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 19:2 Lit. servants; and so throughout the section
- 1 Chronicles 19:2 The Heb. lacks his loss of
- 1 Chronicles 19:2 The Heb. lacks visit
- 1 Chronicles 19:4 The Heb. lacks in disgrace
- 1 Chronicles 19:5 The Heb. lacks word
- 1 Chronicles 19:6 I.e., about 75,000 pounds; a talent weighed about 75 pounds
- 1 Chronicles 19:12 The Heb. lacks to Abishai
- 1 Chronicles 19:16 The Heb. lacks Euphrates
- 1 Chronicles 19:16 Cf. 2Sam 10:16, which reads Shobach
- 1 Chronicles 19:17 Lit. Arameans, they
- 1 Chronicles 19:18 Lit. David
1 Chronicles 19
King James Version
19 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?
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 Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
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.
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.
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.
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.
1 Chronicles 19
New King James Version
The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated(A)
19 It(B) happened after this that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.
3 And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun, [a]“Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?”
4 Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments [b]in the middle, at their (C)buttocks, and sent them away. 5 Then some went and told David about the men; and he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”
6 When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the people of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from [c]Mesopotamia, from Syrian Maacah, (D)and from [d]Zobah. 7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, with the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. Also the people of Ammon gathered together from their cities, and came to battle.
8 Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. 9 Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array before the gate of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.
10 When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. 11 And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in battle array against the people of Ammon. 12 Then he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”
14 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 15 When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai his brother, and entered the city. So Joab went to Jerusalem.
16 Now when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought the Syrians who were beyond [e]the River, and [f]Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army went before them. 17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan and came upon them, and set up in battle array against them. So when David had set up in battle array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18 Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed [g]seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand [h]foot soldiers of the Syrians, and killed Shophach the commander of the army. 19 And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his servants. So the Syrians were not willing to help the people of Ammon anymore.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 19:3 Lit. In your eyes is David honoring your father because
- 1 Chronicles 19:4 in half
- 1 Chronicles 19:6 Heb. Aram Naharaim
- 1 Chronicles 19:6 Zoba, 2 Sam. 10:6
- 1 Chronicles 19:16 The Euphrates
- 1 Chronicles 19:16 Zoba, 2 Sam. 10:6, or Shobach, 2 Sam. 10:16
- 1 Chronicles 19:18 seven hundred, 2 Sam. 10:18
- 1 Chronicles 19:18 horsemen, 2 Sam. 10:18
1 Chronicles 19
English Standard Version
The Ammonites Disgrace David's Men
19 (A)Now 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 (B)from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah, and from (C)Zobah. 7 They hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and encamped before (D)Medeba. 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 (E)Abishai 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 (F)Abishai, 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,[b] with (G)Shophach the commander of the army of (H)Hadadezer 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 (I)7,000 chariots and 40,000 (J)foot soldiers, and put to death also (K)Shophach the commander of their army. 19 And when the servants of (L)Hadadezer 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.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 19:6 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
- 1 Chronicles 19:16 Hebrew the River
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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