1 Chronicles 19:4 Kommentar

The story is here repeated of David's war with the Ammonites and the Syrians their allies, and the victories he obtained over them, which we read just as it is here related, 2 Sa. 10. Here is, I. David's civility to the king of Ammon, in sending an embassy of condolence to him on occasion of his father's death (Ch1 19:1, Ch1 19:2). II. His great incivility to David, in the base usage he gave to his ambassadors (Ch1 19:3, Ch1 19:4). III. David's just resentment of it, and the war which broke out thereupon, in which the Ammonites acted with policy in bringing the Syrians to their assistance (Ch1 19:6, Ch1 19:7), Joab did bravely (Ch1 19:8-13), and Israel was once and again victorious (Ch1 19:14-19).

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 19 The eighteenth and nineteenth chapters are the same with Sa2 8:1 with very little variations, which are observed in the notes on them, to which the reader is referred.

David sends a congratulatory message to Hanun, king of Ammon, Ch1 19:1, Ch1 19:2. He treats the messengers with great incivility, Ch1 19:3, Ch1 19:4. David is exasperated, but condoles with the degraded messengers, Ch1 19:5. The Ammonites prepare for war, and hire thirty-two thousand chariots, and besiege Medeba, Ch1 19:6, Ch1 19:7. David sends Joab to attack them; he defeats the Syrians and Ammonites, Ch1 19:8-15. The discomfited Syrians recruit their army, and invade David's territories beyond Jordan; he attacks them, kills Shophach their general, seven thousand charioteers, and forty thousand of their infantry, Ch1 19:16-18. The Syrians abandon the Ammonites and make a separate peace with David, Ch1 19:19.

And cut off their garments in the midst - Usque ad eorum, pudenda. So the Targum, Jarchi, and others; leaving exposed what nature and decency require to be concealed. See on Sa2 10:4 (note).

DAVID'S MESSENGERS, SENT TO COMFORT HANUN, ARE DISGRACEFULLY TREATED. (Ch1 19:1-5) after this--This phrase seems to indicate that the incident now to be related took place immediately, or soon after the wars described in the preceding chapter. But the chronological order is loosely observed, and the only just inference that can be drawn from the use of this phrase is, that some farther account is to be given of the wars against the Syrians. Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died--There had subsisted a very friendly relation between David and him, begun during the exile of the former, and cemented, doubtless, by their common hostility to Saul.

shaved them--not completely, but only the half of their face. This disrespect to the beard, and indecent exposure of their persons by their clothes being cut off from the girdle downwards, was the grossest indignity to which Jews, in common with all Orientals, could be subjected. No wonder that the men were ashamed to appear in public--that the king recommended them to remain in seclusion on the border till the mark of their disgrace had disappeared--and then they might, with propriety, return to the court.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 19 The eighteenth and nineteenth chapters are the same with Sa2 8:1 with very little variations, which are observed in the notes on them, to which the reader is referred.