Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Chronicles 12:8
And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, [and] men of war [fit] for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces [were like] the faces of lions, and [were] as swift as the roes upon the mountains;
8 15. Gadite Adherents of David
8. And of the Gadites ] The Gadites had the name of marauders (Gen 49:19), and David’s mode of life would attract them. Chronologically 1Ch 12:8 should precede 1Ch 12:1; David was first “in the hold” and afterwards in Ziklag.
separated themselves ] i.e. left their brethren E. of Jordan and came W. to join David.
into the hold to the wilderness ] R.V. to the hold in the wilderness. It is uncertain whether this hold be or be not the cave of Adullam. See 1Ch 11:15-16, notes.
men of might, and men of war fit for the battle ] R.V. mighty men of valour, men trained for war.
that could handle ] Lit “ordering.”
shield and buckler ] R.V. shield and spear. A.V. follows a mistake of several early editions of the printed Heb. text. There is hardly any MS. authority for buckler. The reference is to the manner of fighting in David’s day. At the threat of an attack an army was drawn up in close array, shield touching shield and spears at the charge. Only in a high state of discipline could men quickly and effectively handle shield and spear thus ( 1Sa 17:2 ; 1Sa 17:8; 1Sa 17:21). See Smith, Bib. Dict., ed. 2, pp. 875, 6 for illustrations.
and were as swift ] R.V. and they were as swift.
as the roes ] In David’s lament (2 Samuel 1) Jonathan is compared to a lion (1Ch 12:23) and to a gazelle (1Ch 12:19 marg., the same Heb. word as for roe here).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Into the hold to the wilderness – Rather, into the hold toward the wilderness. Some understand by this Ziklag, some En-gedi 1Sa 24:1-2; but it seems most probable that here and in 1Ch 12:16 the stronghold of Adullam is intended 1Ch 11:15-16.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
1Ch 12:8-15
And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David.
David and his volunteers
David, compelled to flee from his own country, and to hide himself from the malice of Saul, was eminently a type of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, in the days when He dwelt here among men, was despised and rejected of men. All who would repair to Him must go forth likewise, bearing His reproach. These eleven Gadites–all of them remarkable men–espoused the cause of David when he was in his very worst condition; they left the ease and comfort, the honours and emoluments, of their own home to associate themselves with him when he was regarded as an outlaw under the ban of society. And to this day every Christian who is faithful to his profession must separate himself from his fellow-men to be a follower of the despised Jesus.
I. The leader, whom we regard as a type of our Lord Jesus Christ, was David, the son of Jesse; and in tracing out some points of analogy we begin by noticing–
1. That, like David, our Lord was anointed of God to be the leader of His people. It is an honour to follow one who has the highest sanction of heaven in taking the command and exercising the authority that pertains to him.
2. Jesus was like David, too, in that He was personally fit to be a leader. David, alike by his character and his deeds of prowess, had become the foremost man of his times. So our blessed Lord, as to His person, is just such a King as one might desire to obey; and, as for His achievements, O tell what His arm hath done–what spoils from death His right hand won! Let His fame be spread over all the earth! He stood in the gap when there was none to help. He vanquished the foe who threatened our destruction.
3. But our Lord, though anointed of God and meriting the distinction which He gained, was, nevertheless, like David, rejected of men. So the seed of the serpent hates the seed of the woman. But notwithstanding the pains and penalties they incurred in those dark days, the really good and pious people in Israel rallied to the standard of David. I know it is said that those who were in debt and discontented came to David. That is quite true; and when it typifies the abject condition of those poor sinners who come to Christ for refuge; but many of those Israelites were reduced in circumstances and brought into debt through the bad government of Saul. There was with David, Abiathar the high priest. With David likewise there was Gad the prophet. Does not the like thing happen among those who ally themselves with the Son of David at this day? Although He whom we worship is despised and rejected of men, yet unto you who believe He is precious. We need not be ashamed to side with Jesus, for we shall be in good company.
4. Despised as David was among men, yet, being anointed of God, his cause in the end was successful. He did come to the throne: and so it is with our Lord Jesus Christ. Notwithstanding all the opposition that still rages against His cause, it must prosper and prevail.
II. Having thus drawn your attention to the Leader, whom David the son of Jesse prefigured, let me turn now to speak a little of those who gathered round him and enlisted in his service. The recruits who came to David were eleven in number. The first characteristic we read about them is that they were separated. Of the Gadites, there separated themselves unto David eleven persons.
1. They were separated. Observe that. They separated themselves. They seem to have been captains of the militia of their tribe. The very least among them was over a hundred, and the greatest over a thousand. But they separated themselves from their commands over their tribes–separated themselves from their brethren and their kinsfolk. I daresay many of their friends said to them, Why, what fools you are! You must be mad to espouse the cause of a fellow like David! and then they would call David ell manner of foul, opprobrious names. In these times it is most important that every one who is a Christian should understand that he must separate himself from the world. Ye cannot serve Christ and the world too. You cannot be of the world and of Christs Church. It is in his intercourse with the world that the Christian shows the morel forces of his character. There it comes out because it cannot be hid. If his trade has become used to tricks and stratagems which will not bear the light, he cannot conform to them; he will shrink from them with abhorrence: he must keep a clean conscience.
2. But observe that these people separated themselves unto David. You may separate yourself and not separate yourself unto Christ; and if not, you only change from one form of worldly-mindedness to another. We ere not to separate ourselves unto self-righteousness, or unto affectation, or unto a sect, but unto Christ. These people got away from their friends that they might get to David. We are to get away from the world that we may get closer to Christ.
3. And then, as you read that they separated themselves unto David in the wilderness, let me entreat you to ask yourselves it you are ready to take part with a rejected, crucified Christ. Tens of thousands would separate themselves to David if he were in Hebron on the throne of Israel. If the truth should lead us down into the hovel, where we could only associate with the very lowest of the low, if they were the Lords people, they should be our delight.
4. Note, next, about these men that they were men of might. It is said of them that they were men of might, whose faces were like faces of lions, and they were as swift as the roes upon the mountains. All that came to David were not like that. David had some women and children to protect, but he was glad to receive others that were men of might. Now there came to Jesus, the greater David in His day, the weak ones of the flock, and He never rejected them. He was glad to receive even the feeblest; but there did come to our Lord and Master eleven men who, by His grace, were like these Gadites. Truly, I may say of His apostles, after our Divine Lord had filled them with His Spirit, that they had faces like lions and feet like hinds feet, so swift were they for service and so strong for combat. The grace of God can make us brave as lions, so that wherever we are we can hold our own, or rather can hold our Lords truth, and never blush nor be ashamed to speak a good word for Him at all times.
5. But it is worth noticing that they were men of war, inured to discipline–men fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler. Now there are some men of might who do not seem to be good men of war, because they cannot keep rank. What exploits they may do they must needs do alone, for they cannot march with the army. There are some brethren I know who are most excellent people as individuals, but they seem never to be meant to march in the ranks; they must every one of them lead, they cannot be second to anybody; neither can they be under any discipline or rule.
6. These Gadites likewise furnish us with a noble example of strong resolution. When the eleven men determined to join David they were living the other side of a deep river, which at that season of the year had overflowed its banks, so that it was extremely deep and broad. But they were not to be kept from joining David, when he wanted them, by the river. They swam through the river that they might come to David. Do you stand back and shrink from avowing your attachment to the standard of Gods anointed because it would involve loss of reputation, displeasure of friends, the frowns of your associates in the world, or the heartbreaks of anguish of those you tenderly love? Know, then, that our Lord is worthy of all the troubles you incur, and all the risks you run; and be assured that the peace which a soul enjoys that once joins Christ in the hold, and abides with Him in the wilderness, well repays a man for all that he has to part with in getting to his Lord and Master. Now, it would appear that after they had got across the river they were attacked, but we are told that they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east and toward the west. O ye that love the Lord and Master, I beseech you in this evil day, this day of blasphemy and rebuke, stand not back: be not craven. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fitness for service
The secret of success religiously is precisely the same as the secret of success in ordinary things. Look at the splendid qualities that go to the making of a successful housebreaker. Audacity, resource, secrecy, promptitude, persistence, skill of hand, and a hundred others, are put into play before a man can break into your back kitchen and steal your goods. Look at the qualities that go to the making of a successful amuser of people. Men will spend endless time and pains, and devote concentration, persistence, self-denial, diligence to learning how to play upon some instrument, how to swing upon a trapeze, how to twist themselves into abnormal contortions. Jugglers and fiddlers, and circusriders and dancers, and people of that sort, spend far more time upon efforts to perfect themselves in their profession than ninety-nine out of every hundred professing Christians do to make themselves true followers of Jesus Christ. They know that nothing is to be got without working for it, and there is nothing to be got in the Christian life without working for it any more than in any other. (A. Maclaren, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. And were as swift as the roes] That swiftness was considered to be a grand accomplishment in a warrior, appears from all ancient writings which treat of military affairs.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Separated themselves from Saul, to whom they had hitherto adhered; and from their brethren of their own tribe, who yet maintained Sauls cause; and from their families, and the places where they lived, from whom they went to David.
Into the hold to the wilderness, or, into the hold of the wilderness, i.e. either to the cave of Adullam or Engedi; or rather to Ziklag, as appears from 1Ch 12:1, which was in the wilderness of Judah, which is here called the hold, or the fortress, which name is also given to the city of David, 1Ch 11:7, the Hebrew word being the same both here and there.
Whose faces were like the faces of lions; who were full of courage, and by the majesty and fierceness of their countenances terrified their adversaries.
As swift as the roes upon the mountains: as their very looks daunted their enemies, and put them to flight, so they could easily pursue and overtake and destroy them in their flight.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8-13. of the Gadites there separatedthemselves unto Davidthat is, from the service of Saul andfrom the rest of the Gadites who remained steadfast adherents of hiscause.
into the holdorfortress, that is, of Ziklag, which was in the wilderness of Judah.
whose faces were like thefaces of lions, &c.A fierce, lion-like countenance (2Sa1:23), and great agility in pursuit (2Sa2:18), were qualities of the highest estimation in ancientwarfare.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David, into the hold to the wilderness,…. Men of the tribe of Gad, who lived on the other side Jordan; these separated themselves from the rest of their tribe, from their families and dwellings, and from the government of Saul, and came over to David, and joined him either when he was in some strong hold in the wilderness of Ziph, or Maon, 1Sa 23:14, or, as some think, when he was at Ziklag, in the hold there, said to be in the wilderness of Judah:
men of might, and men of war, fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler; warlike, valiant, and courageous men, well skilled in military discipline: whose faces were like the face of lions; bold, stern, and fierce. The philosopher observes d, that of all creatures the lion most resembles a man, having a great mouth, a square face and forehead, large eye brows, c.
and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains which are remarkable for their swiftness on the mountains, see So 2:17. Aelianus e speaks of one sort of them that run as swift as a tempest. These Gadites, as with their undaunted looks and courage, intimidated their enemies, and put them to flight, so they were swift to pursue them, and overtake them.
d Aristot. Physiognom. c. 5. e De Animal. l. 14. c. 14.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Gadites, Benjamites, and men of Judah who joined themselves to David during his sojourn in the mountain fastness. – 1Ch 12:8. David’s sojourn in the mountain hold falls in the first years of his flight from Saul, 1Sa 22:1. , pointed with Pathach instead of with Kamets ( , cf. 1Ch 12:16), on account of its intimate connection with , is synonymous with (1Sa 24:22, etc.). The addition , “towards the wilderness,” shows that denotes a mountain-top or mountain-fortress in the wilderness of Judah. If we compare the account in 1 Sam 22-24, we learn that David at that time did not hide himself in one single definite mountain-fortress, but sought and found resting-places, now here, now there, in the wilderness, on the summits of the hills (cf. , 1Sa 23:14; 1Sa 24:1); so that here is to be understood, as , 1Sa 24:3, also is, generally of the fastnesses in the mountains of Judah. At that time there gathered round David a great company of discontented and oppressed men, to the number of about 400, – men dissatisfied with Saul’s rule, whose leader he became, and who soon amounted to 600 men (1Sa 22:2 and 1Sa 23:13). To these belong the Gadites, and the men out of Benjamin and Judah, whose adhesion to David is noticed in our verses. , they separated themselves from the other Gadites who were on Saul’s side, “strong heroes,” as in Jos 8:3; cf. , 1Ch 5:24; 1Ch 7:2, 1Ch 7:9, etc. , men for service in the host for the war, i.e., combatants practised in war. , preparing shield and spear, i.e., wielding shield and spear, practised in their use: the preparing of these weapons includes the handling of them. Instead of , Veneta and many of the older copies have ; but it is not supported by MS authority, and moreover is not congruous with the passage. Lions’ faces their faces, i.e., lion-like in appearance, thoroughly warlike figures; cf. 2Sa 1:23. “As roes running swiftly on the mountains;” cf. 2Sa 2:18. This description of the strength and swiftness of these warriors recalls, as Bertheau remarks, the similar expressions used in the historical books concerning heroes of David’s time. It has manifestly been drawn from the original documents, not added by the chronicler. In 1Ch 12:9-13 the names are enumerated individually. , at the end of a series of ordinal numbers, denotes the eleventh; cf. 1Ch 24:12.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(Author’s NOTE: The following passage (1Ch 12:8-15) is discussed here (although it is found in the hardbound commentary 1st Edition under 2 Samuel 5) because this is its place chronologically. There is no parallel in Samuel.)
This is the account of the eleven Gadite captains who led their men to the aid of David when he was on the defensive against the Philistines, prior to the battles discussed above. They are described as mighty men, battle-fit, adept with the large shield and with the buckler, or smaller shield, and having faces like roes on the mountains. The roe was a gazelle, a graceful, elusive, and alert animal of Israel. These men were like the roe in all of these traits and therefore very useful to David.
Of the eleven named men, all were captains, the least over a hundred men and the greatest over a thousand. None of their deeds of war are accounted in the Scriptures in their name. The brave feat they accomplished at this time was their coming to David’s aid at a critical time when the Philistines had him in hold at the cave of Adullam (2Sa 5:17; 2Sa 23:13-14). They crossed the Jordan (they were an eastern tribe across the river) in the springtime when the river was at flood stage. The Philistines likely did not expect an attack, but the Gadites cleared them out of the eastern valleys, and proceeded also to expel them from the western valleys, toward their own cities.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(8) Separated themselves from the royalists of Gad, who clung to Saul.
Into the hold to (towards) the wilderness.Perhaps the cave of Adullam (1Sa. 22:1; 1Sa. 22:4), or one of Davids other haunts, the wooded Mount of Hachilah (1Sa. 23:19), or the crag of Maon, or the rocks of En-gedi (1Sa. 23:25; 1Sa. 23:29). Caves and holds are mentioned together as refuges (Jdg. 6:2). In the earlier period of his outlawry, David found refuge in the natural fastnesses of Juda.
Men of might.Mighty men of valour (1Ch. 5:24), and valiant men of might (1Ch. 7:2). Heb., the valiant warriors, whose names follow.
Men of war fit for the battle.Literally, men of service or training, i.e., veterans, for the war.
That could handle shield and buckler.Heb., wielding (or presenting) shield and spear, (Comp. Jer. 46:3.)
Buckler (mgn) is the reading of some old editions, but against the MSS., which have rmah (lance).
Whose faces were like the faces of lions.Literally,
And face of the lion, their face;
And like gazelles on the mountains they speed.
The poetic style of this betrays its ancient source. The chronicler is clearly borrowing from some contemporary record. (Comp. Davids own description of Saul and Jonathan, 2Sa. 1:23; and the term Ariel, lion of God, i.e., hero or champion, 1Ch. 11:22; and Isa. 29:1.)
Swift as the roes.Comp. what is said of Asahel (2Sa. 2:18).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
(8-18) A. list of Gadites, and an account of a band of Judans and Benjammites who joined David in the stronghold (1Ch. 11:14) towards the desert of Judah.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. The Gadites unto David into the hold to the wilderness The “ hold” here referred to is most probably the cave of Adullam; see on 1Sa 22:1-2. It may, however, be understood generally of the several holds or fastnesses in which David hid himself at various times.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ch 12:8. Like the faces of lions See 2Sa 1:23; 2Sa 2:18.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
XVIII
THE WARS OF DAVID
2Sa 5:11-25
Our last chapter intimated that the union of the nation under such a king as David, in such a capital, would naturally excite the jealousy and alarm of all neighboring heathen nations. This section commences thus: “And when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David.”
Your attention has already been called to the necessity of breaking the power of the hostile heathen nations lying all around Judah, if ever the Jewish nation is to fulfil its mission to all other nations. The geographical position of Judah, which is the best in the world for leavening the nations with the ideas of the kingdom of God, if it maintained its national purity and adherence to Jehovah, also made it the most desirable possession for other peoples having far different ideals. As the salvation of the world including these very hostile nations, depended on the perpetuity and purity of Israel, these nations, through whom came idolatry and national corruption, must be broken, hence the seeming cruelty and partiality of Jehovah’s order through Moses to destroy the Canaanites, root and branch, and to avoid the corruptions of the other nations, were meant as mercy and kindness to the world.
The nations against which David successfully warred, so far as our text records them, were the Philistines, the Ammonites, the Syrians of Zobah, the Syrians of Damascus, the Moabites, and the Edomites. He had previously smitten the Amalekites of the Negeb. On these wars in general the following observations are noteworthy:
1. He was never the aggressor.
2. He never lost a battle.
3. His conquest filled out the kingdom to the boundaries originally promised to Abraham.
4. The spoils of all these wars, staggering credulity in their variety and value, were consecrated to Jehovah, making the richest treasury known to history.
5. By alliance without war he secured the friendship of Hiram, king of Tyre, most valuable to him and to his son Solomon. As Phoenicia, through the world-famous fleets of Tyre and Sidon, commanded the Mediterranean with all its marine commerce, and as David ruled the land through whose thoroughfares must pass the caravans carrying this traffic to Africa, Arabia, India, Syria, and Mesopotamia, it was of infinite value to both to be in friendly alliance. To these merchant-princes it was of incalculable advantage that all the land transportation of their traffic should lie within the boundaries of one strong and friendly nation rather than to have to run the gauntlet between a hundred irresponsible and predatory tribes, while to David, apart from the value of this peaceful commerce, the whole western border of Judah along the Mediterranean coast was safe from invasion by sea so long as friendship was maintained with Hiram, king of the sea.
6. By the voluntary submission of Hamath after his conquest of Damascus, he controlled the famous historic “Entrance into Hamath,” the one narrow pathway of traffic with the nations around the Caspian Sea, thus enabling David to reach those innumerable northern hordes so graphically described in later days by Ezekiel, the exile-prophet.
7. By the conquest of Damascus he controlled the only caravan route to the Euphrates and Mesopotamia, since the desert lying east of the trans-Jordanic tribes was practically impassable for trade and army movement from a lack of water, We have seen Abraham, migrating from Ur of the Chaldees, low down on the Euphrates, compelled to ascend that river for hundreds of miles in order to find an accessible way to the Holy Land through Damascus. In his day, also Chedorlaorner’s invasion had to follow the same way, as we will see later invasions do in Nebuchadnezzar’s time, which at last conquered David’s Jerusalem.
8. By the conquest of Ammon, Moab, and Edom, all the Arabah passed into his hands, checkmating invasion by Arabian hordes, as well as barring one line of invasion from Egypt. By the conquest of the Philistines and Amalekites the other two ways of Egyptian invasion were barred. You should take a map, such as you will find in Huribut’s Atlas, and show how David’s wars and peaceful alliances safeguarded every border, north, east, south, and west.
Besides these general observations, we may note a special feature characterizing these, and indeed all other wars, prior to the leveling invention of gunpowder and other high explosives, namely, much was accomplished by individual champions of great physical prowess and renown. David himself was as famous in this respect as Richard, the Lionhearted, until in a desperate encounter, related in this section, his life was so endangered that a public demand justly required him to leave individual fighting to less necessary men and confine himself to the true duty of a general the direction of the movements of the army.
Your text recites the special exploits of Jashobeam, Eleazer, Shammah, Abishai, Benaiah, or Benajah, after whom my father, myself, and my oldest son were named. With them may be classed the ten Gadites whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were as swift as the mountain deer, the least equal to 100 and the greatest equal to 1000. These crossed the Jordan at its mighty flood and smote the Philistines in all its valley, east and west.
Quite to the front also, as giant-killers, were Sibbecai, Elhanan, and Jonathan’s nephew. Of others, all mighty heroes, we have only a catalogue of names as famous in their day as Hercules, Theseus, and Achilles, Ajax, Ulysses, Horatius, and .King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table, but, as philosophizes Sir Walter Scott in lvanhoe concerniog the doughty champions at the tourney of Ashby de la Zouch: “To borrow lines from a contemporary poet, ‘The knights are dust, And their good swords rust, Their souls are with the saints, we trust,’while their escutcheons have long mouldered from the walls of their castles; their castles themselves are but green mounds and shattered ruins; the place that once knew them knows them no more. Nay, many a race since theirs has died out and been forgotten in the very land which they occupied with all the authority of feudal proprietors and lords. What then would it avail to the reader to know their names, or the evanescent symbols of their martial rank?”
One exploit of three of these champions deserves to live forever in literature. It thrills the heart by the naturalness of its appeal to the memory of every man concerning the precious things of his childhood’s home. David was in his stronghold, the Cave of Adullam, weary and thirsty. Bethlehem and his childhood rise before him: “O that one would give me water to drink of the Well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” His exclamation thrills like Woodworth’s famous poem, “How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood, As fond recollections presents them to view! The orchard, the meadow, the deep-tangled wildwood, And ev’ry loved spot which my infancy knew”.
David’s longing for water from that particular well, and Woodworth’s “Old Oaken Bucket” harmonize with my own experience whenever I am delirious with fever. I always see a certain spring on my father’s plantation issuing from the mosscovered, fern-bordered rocks, and filling a sucken barrell. Hard by, hanging on a bush, is the gourd which, when dipped into the cold, clear spring, is more precious to thirsty lips than the silver tankards or gold drinking cups of kings; only in my fever-thirst I never am able to get that gourd to my lips. Three of David’s mighty men heard the expression of his longing for that water out of the Well of Bethlehem, and slipping quietly away, not caring that a Philistine garrison held Bethlehem, the three men alone break through the defended gate and under fire draw water from the well and bring a vessel of it over a long, hot way to thirsty David. It touched his heart when he saw their wounds. He could not drink water purchased with their blood, but poured it out as a libation to such great and devoted friendship.
Some other incidents of the Philistine war are worthy of comment:
1. So great was the defeat of the Philistines in their first battle, where David, under divine direction, attacked the center of their army, the scene is named “Baal-Perazirn,” i.e., “The place of breaking forth.” Splitting their column wide open at its heart, he dispersed them in every direction. They even sat their gods behind them to be burned by David’s men. We need not be startled at the burning of such gods, for history tells of one nation that ate their god, made out of dough, in times of famine. This breaking of a battle-center was a favorite method with Napoleon later, and vainly attempted by Lee at Gettysburg.
2. In the second great battle, again following divine direction, he avoided the center where they expected his attack as before and were there prepared for him this time, and “fetched” a compass to their rear, sheltered from their view by a thick growth of balsam trees, and on hearing “a sound of a going” in these trees, struck them unawares and overthrew them completely.
So Stonewall Jackson, his movements sheltered from observation by the trees of the wilderness, marched and struck in his last and greatest victory at Chancellorsville. And so did that master of war, Frederick the Great, screened by intervening hills, turn the Austrian columns and win his greatest victory at Leuthen. Major Penn, the great Texas lay-evangelist, preached his greatest sermon from “This fetching a compass,” and “When thou hearest the sound of a going in the mulberry trees, bestir thyself.” His application was: (a) Let great preachers attack the center, as David did at Baal-Perazim. (b) But as I am only a layman I must fetch a compass and strike them in the rear where they are not expecting attack. (c) As the signal of assault was the sound of a going in the mulberry trees, which we interpret to mean the power of the Holy Spirit going before, we must tarry for that power, for without it we are bound to fail. (d) But that power being evident, let every member of the church bestir himself. On this last point his zealous exhortation put every man, woman, and child to working.
3. The third incident of this war was its culmination. He pressed his victory until “he took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines;” that is, he captured Gath and the four other cities, or daughters, that had gone from it. To take the bridle of a horse from the hand of a rider is to make that horse serve the new master, so Gath and her daughters paid tribute to David and served him quite a new experience for the Philistines.
4. The result of these great achievements is thus expressed: “And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the Lord brought the fear of him on all nations.”
The occasion of his next war, the one with Ammon, was remarkable. Nabash, the king of Ammon, held very friendly relations with David. The fact is that he may have ‘been the father of Amasa, a son of David’s sister, Abigail. Anyway, the relations between them had been very pleasant, so when Nahash died, David, out of the kindness of his heart, always remembering courtesies shown him, sent a friendly embassy to Hanun, the son of Nahash, but the princes of Ammon said to the young king, “Do you suppose that love for your father prompted David to send these men? He sent them to spy out the land so that he can make war successfully against us.” This evil suggestion led the young king to do a very foolish thing, and one that violated all international policy. He arrested these ambassadors and subjected them to the greatest indignity. Their venerable beards were cut off. I don’t know whether that means cut off half-way or just shaved off one side of the face. Then he cut off their long robes of dignity so they would be bob-tailed jackets striking about the hips, and sent them home. No mortification could exceed theirs. Somebody told David about it and he sent this word to them: “Tarry at Jericho until your beards grow out.”
A deacon of the First Church at Waco, when I was pastor, whenever a young member of the church would propose some innovation on the customs of the church, would draw up his tall figure he was quite tall and would reach out his long arm and point at the young man and say, “My young brother, you had better tarry at Jericho until your beard grows out.” It was very crushing on the young brother, and I used to exhort the deacon about his curt way of cutting off members who, whether young or old, had a right equal to his own to speak in conference.
Having practiced that unpardonable indignity upon the friendly ambassadors, the Ammonites know they must fight, since they have made themselves odious to David, so they raise an enormous sum of money, 1,000 talents of silver, and hire 33,000 men from the Syrians, the different branches of the Syrians. Some of them were horsemen from across the Euphrates, some from Tob, some from Maacah, and the rest of them from Zobah. David sends Joab at the head of his mighty army of veterans to fight them. The Ammonites remain in their fortified city of Rabbah, and as Joab’s army approaches, 33,000 Syrians come up behind them, and Joab sees that there is a battle to be fought in the front and in the rear, so he divides his army and takes his picked men to attack the Syrians, and commands Abishai, his brother, to go after the Ammonites as they pour out of their city to attack in front. Joab says to his brother, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, you help me, and if the Ammon-ites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you,” and so they fight both ways and whip in both directions with tremendous success. Joab destroys the Syrians, and Abishai drives the Ammonites back under the walls of their city.
That victory leads to another war. When the Syrians heard of the overthrow of the contingent sent to succor Ammon, they sent across the Euphrates again for reinforcements and mobilized a large home army to fight David. David met them in battle and blotted them off the map, and having disposed of the Syrians, at the return of the season for making war, he sent Joab with a mighty army to besiege the city of Rabbah, the capital of the Ammonites. Joab besieges them and when he sees them about to surrender he sends for David to come and accept the surrender and David puts the crown of the king of Ammon on his own head. Then having destroyed the Ammonites, he marches against their southern ally, Moab, and conquers them. Following up this victory he leads his army against Edom, and conquers all that country. This war lasts six months. He gains a great victory over the Edomites and through Abishai, his leader, 18,000 of the Edomites were slain. The heir of the king escapes with great difficulty to Egypt, and is sheltered there. Joab remained six months to bury the dead and gather up the spoils. So ends this period of conquest.
The text tells you, in conclusion, who were the administration officers during this period. You will find it on page 122 of the Harmony. Joab was over the host, Jehoshaphat was recorder, Zadok and Ahimelech were priests, Seraiah was scribe, Benaiah, or Benajah, was over the Cherethites and Pelethites and David’s sons were chiefs about the king.
That great round of successes is followed by the magnificent song of thanksgiving, which needs to be analyzed specially and which is transferred to the Psalter as Psa 18 .
That you may have a connected account of these wars, the consideration of three periods is deferred to the next chapter:
1. The great sin of David, with its far-reaching consequences, 2Sa 11:2-12:24 .
2. His treatment of the Ammonites after the fall of Rabbah, 2Sa 12:31 and 1Ch 20:3 .
3. His treatment of the Moabites, 2Sa 8:2 .
QUESTIONS
1. What is the necessity of breaking the power of the hostile nations within and around Judea?
2. Show why the geographical position of Judea was favorable to its mission of leavening all nations with the ideas of the kingdom of God, and why Judea was a desirable possession to those nations.
3. What event brought a tide of war on David?
4. According to the record, with what nations did he wage successful war?
5. What eight general observations on these wars?
6. What special feature characterized them and all other ancient wars, and what modern inventions have now divested war of this feature?
7. Cite the names of some of David’s champions and their exploits.
8. How does Sir Walter Scott, in Ivanhoe, philosophize on the speedy oblivion coming to great champions?
9. Recite one exploit that deserves to live in literature, and why?
10. Cite the notable characteristic of the battle of Baal-Perazirn.
11. Name the more decisive battle which followed, and give illustrations from history of the different methods of attack in those two battles.
12. Give Major Penn’s text and sermon outline on some words concerning this battle.
13. Explain: ”He took the bridle of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.”
14. What was the result of these great achievements?
15. Recite the occasion of the war with Ammon and its results, and describe the first battle.
16. Give a brief statement of wars with Syria, Moab, and Edom.
17. With a map before you, show just how by these wars and alliances David safeguarded all his borders.
18. How did he commemorate his victories?
19. How did he celebrate them?
20. Into what other book was his thanksgiving song transferred, and how numbered there?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
1Ch 12:8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, [and] men of war [fit] for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces [were like] the faces of lions, and [were] as swift as the roes upon the mountains;
Ver. 8. There separated themselves unto David, ] sc., From Saul. So did the noble army of martyrs unto Christ from Antichrist, and are therefore worthily renowned and registered.
Whose faces were like the faces of lions.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
separated themselves. Another example of how Judah came to be representative of the whole of Israel. See note on 1Ki 12:17.
men of might. Hebrew. gibbor. App-14.
buckler. Hebrew = spear. But some codices, with one early printed edition and Syriac, read “buckler”. Compare Jer 46:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
1Ch 12:8-15
1Ch 12:8-15
THE GADITES DEFECT TO DAVID IN HIS WILDERNESS DAYS
“And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David to the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, that could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the roes upon the mountains: Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, Mishmammah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, Attai the sixth, and Eliel the seventh, Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh. These of the sons of Gad were captains of the host: he that was least was equal to a hundred, and the greatest to a thousand. These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east and toward the west.”
“To the stronghold in the wilderness” (1Ch 12:8). This was prior to David’s days at Ziklag. The particular stronghold is not mentioned, but it might have been either Engedi or Adullam.
“Faces like the faces of lions … as swift as the roes on the mountains” (1Ch 12:8). No human being can outrun a deer; and the figures of speech used by the Chronicler here suggest that other figures of speech also appear in the chapter.
“The names of persons in these verses (1Ch 12:9-13) are all found elsewhere in the Bible, but none of them as designating the same persons.”
“They went over the Jordan in the first month” (1Ch 12:15). “The time here was the same as our month of March/April.” The historical setting may have been that of the Conquest under Joshua; but the event here given is not elsewhere reported in the Bible.
E.M. Zerr:
1Ch 12:8 – The tribe of Gad was situated east of the Jordan, yet these came over to David in a goodly number. The character of the tribe as described here, is borne out by Smith’s Bible Dictionary as follows: “The character of the tribe is throughout strongly marked–fierce and warlike.” A shield was a defensive piece, held at the left side to ward off the darts of the enemy. A buckler was a similar piece, but used more as a shield for the front of the body. The reference to lions is for comparison only, indicating the boldness of the men- The roe was a kind of deer that was very swift on foot, hence the comparison.
1Ch 12:9-13. Having given a description of the Gadites in genera! in the preceding verse, this paragraph names some of the men who came.
1Ch 12:14. The men named above were so able in war they were given a position over others- Their qualifications were indicated by the fact that the least of them could manage 100 men.
1Ch 12:15 – At harvest time the Jordan overflowed all its banks (Jos 3:15)- The fact is mentioned in this place to indicate the rugged character of the Gadites. Being on the east of the river, they had to get across the torrent in some way in order to get to David.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
into the hold: 1Ch 12:16, 1Ch 11:16, 1Sa 23:14, 1Sa 23:29, 1Sa 24:22
of war: Heb. of the host
handle: 2Ch 25:5, Jer 46:9
whose faces: 1Ch 11:22, 2Sa 1:23, 2Sa 17:10, 2Sa 23:20, Pro 28:1
as swift as the roes upon the mountains: Heb. as the roes upon the mountains to make haste, 2Sa 2:18, Pro 6:5, Son 8:14
Reciprocal: Deu 33:20 – Blessed Eze 1:10 – the face of a lion Eze 38:4 – handling Rev 9:17 – as the
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ch 12:8. There separated themselves From Saul, to whom they had hitherto adhered, and from their brethren of their own tribe, who yet maintained Sauls cause; and from their families, and the places where they lived, from whom they went to David. Into the hold to the wilderness
Or rather, into the hold of the wilderness; that is, either to the cave of Adullam or Engedi, or rather to Ziklag, which was in the wilderness of Judah, and may be here called the hold or fortress, for the same reason for which that name is given to the city of David, 1Ch 11:7, (see the Hebrew,) namely, because it was a strong, well-fortified place. Whose faces were like the faces of lions Who were full of courage, and by the majesty and fierceness of their countenances terrified their adversaries. As swift as the roes upon the mountains As their very looks daunted their enemies, and put them to flight, so they could easily pursue, and overtake, and destroy them in their flight.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
12:8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, [and] men of war [fit] for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces [were like] the faces of {c} lions, and [were] as swift as the roes upon the mountains;
(c) Meaning, fierce and terrible.