1 Chronicles 19:6-19
New English Translation
6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them,[a] Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents[b] of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah, and Zobah.[c] 7 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.
8 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them.[d] 9 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. 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.[e] 11 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army and they were deployed against the Ammonites. 12 Joab[f] said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me,[g] you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you,[h] I will come to your rescue. 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!”[i] 14 So Joab and his men[j] marched toward the Arameans to do battle, and they fled before him. 15 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before Joab’s[k] brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. Joab went back to Jerusalem.
16 When the Arameans realized they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for reinforcements from beyond the Euphrates River,[l] led by Shophach the commanding general of Hadadezer’s army.[m] 17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River,[n] and marched against them.[o] David deployed his army against the Arameans for battle and they fought against him.[p] 18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 7,000[q] Aramean charioteers and 40,000 infantrymen; he also killed Shophach[r] the commanding general. 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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Chronicles 19:6 tn Heb “that they were a stench [i.e., disgusting] with David.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:6 tn The Hebrew word כִּכַּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or, by extension, to a standard unit of weight. According to the older (Babylonian) standard the “talent” weighed 130 lbs. (58.9 kg), but later this was lowered to 108.3 lbs. (49.1 kg). More recent research suggests the “light” standard talent was 67.3 lbs. (30.6 kg). Using this as the standard for calculation, the Ammonites hired chariots and charioteers for about 33.7 tons (30,600 kg) of silver.
- 1 Chronicles 19:6 tn The parallel text of 2 Sam 10:6 has “Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:8 tn The words “the news” and “to meet them” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
- 1 Chronicles 19:10 tc The parallel text of 2 Sam 10:10 has “the Ammonites” in place of “the Arameans” here.tn Heb “and Joab saw that the face of the battle was to him before and behind and he chose from all the best in Israel and arranged to meet Aram.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:12 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 1 Chronicles 19:12 tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:12 tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:13 tn Heb “and the Lord, what is good in his eyes, he will do.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:14 tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:15 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 1 Chronicles 19:16 tn Heb “the River,” referring to the Euphrates. This has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 1 Chronicles 19:16 tn Heb “and Aram saw that they were struck down before Israel and they sent messengers and brought out Aram which is beyond the River, and Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer [was] before them.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:17 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- 1 Chronicles 19:17 tc The parallel text of 2 Sam 10:17 “he came to Helam.”tn Heb “and he came to them and was deployed against them.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:17 tn Heb “and David was deployed to meet Aram [for] battle and they fought with him.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:18 tc The parallel text of 2 Sam 10:18 has “seven hundred.”
- 1 Chronicles 19:18 tn The parallel text of 2 Sam 10:18 has the variant spelling “Shobach.”
1 Chronicles 19:6-19
Common English Bible
6 When the Ammonites realized that they had offended David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent one thousand kikkars of silver to hire chariots and cavalry for themselves from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah. 7 They hired thirty-two thousand chariots, as well as King Maacah and his army, who came and camped in front of Medeba, while the Ammonites left their cities and came together ready for battle. 8 When David heard this, he sent Joab and the entire army of warriors. 9 The Ammonites marched out and formed a battle line at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come remained in the countryside.
10 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s finest warriors and deployed them to meet the Arameans. 11 The rest of the army Joab placed under the command of his brother Abishai. When they took up their positions to meet the Arameans, 12 Joab said, “If the Arameans prove too strong for me, you must help me, and if the Ammonites prove too strong for you, I’ll help you. 13 Be brave! We must be courageous for the sake of our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his eyes.”
14 When Joab and the troops who were with him advanced into battle against the Arameans, they fled from him. 15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from his brother Abishai and retreated into the city. So Joab returned to Jerusalem.
16 The Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel. They sent out messengers to bring Aramean reinforcements from the other side of the river, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army at their head. 17 Upon hearing this, David gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. David advanced and took up positions against the Arameans to meet them in battle. After initiating the battle, 18 the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand Aramean chariot drivers and forty thousand foot soldiers. Shophach the commander of their army was killed too. 19 When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. Never again would the Arameans come to the aid of the Ammonites.
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