1 Chronicles 19:1 Ulasan

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).

Let us here observe, 1. That is becomes good people to be neighbourly, and especially to be grateful. David will pay respect to Hanun because he is his neighbour; and religion teaches us to be civil and obliging to all, to honour all men, and to be ready to do all offices of kindness to those we live among; nor must difference in religion be any obstruction to this. But, besides this, David remembered the kindness which his father showed to him. Those that have received kindness must return it as they have ability and opportunity: those that have received it from the parents must return it to the children when they are gone. 2. That, as saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked, Sa1 24:13. The vile person will speak villany, and the instruments of the churl will be evil, to destroy those with lying words that speak right, Isa 32:6, Isa 32:7. Those that are base, and design ill themselves, are apt to be jealous and to suspect ill of others without cause. Hanun's servant suggested that David's ambassadors came as spies, as if so great and mighty a man as David needed to do so mean a thing (if he had any design upon the Ammonites, he could effect it by open force, and had no occasion for any fraudulent practices), or as if a man of such virtue and honour would do so base a thing. Yet Hanun hearkened to the suggestion, and, against the law of nations, treated David's ambassadors villainously. 3. Masters ought to protect their servants, and with the greatest tenderness to concern themselves for them if they come by any loss or damage in their service. David did so for his ambassadors, Ch1 19:5. Christ will do so for his ministers; and let all masters thus give unto their servants that which is just and equal.

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.

See Chapter Introduction Next: 1 Chronicles Chapter 20

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.

Now it came to pass - See the same history, Sa2 10:1 (note), etc., and the notes there.

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.

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.

See Chapter Introduction Next: 1 Chronicles Chapter 20