Old Testament · History

1 Chronicles chapter 19

Some time later, king of the died, and his son became king after him.David said, “I want to show to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him about his father’s death. But when David’s men arrived in the land of the Ammonites to comfort Hanun,the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, “Do you really think David is honoring your father by sending people to comfort you? Haven’t his men come to spy out the land, gather intelligence, and overthrow it?”So Hanun seized David’s men, , , and sent them away.Some people went and told David what had happened to his men. He sent messengers to meet them, because they were . The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, and then come home.”When the Ammonites realized they had to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a to hire chariots and horsemen from , Aram-Maakah, and Zobah.They hired thirty-two thousand chariots, along with the king of Maakah and his army, who came and camped near . The Ammonites also assembled from their cities and marched out for battle.When David heard about this, he sent out with the entire army of fighting men.The Ammonites came out and formed their battle line at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come took up positions in the open field separately.When Joab saw that he was facing battle lines both in front of him and behind him, he picked some of the best fighters in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans.He put the rest of the army under his brother ’s command and deployed them against the Ammonites.Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you come rescue me. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll come rescue you.Stand strong! Let’s fight with everything we have for our people and for the cities of our God. And may do .”Then Joab and his forces advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him.When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they also fled before Joab’s brother Abishai and retreated into the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans from beyond the , with Shophach the commander of ’s army leading them.When David was told about this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced against them, and drew up his battle line facing them. David formed his line to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him.But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their chariot fighters and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach the army commander.When Hadadezer’s saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. After that, the Arameans were never willing to help the Ammonites again.