Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Chronicles 19:6

And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.

6. a thousand talents of silver ] A very large sum; for a hundred talents Amaziah hired a hundred thousand men (2Ch 25:6).

chariots and horsemen ] The Israelite armies on the contrary consisted chiefly of infantry, the country being for the most part unsuitable for horses.

Mesopotamia ] Heb. “Aram (Syria) of the two rivers” (cp. Gen 24:10, R.V. mg.) i.e. probably the land between the Euphrates and the Chaboras. The Greeks used the term Mesopotamia of a wider district, i.e. of the country between the Euphrates and the Tigris. This mention of Mesopotamia is probably premature, for in 1Ch 19:16 the summons of Syrians from beyond the Euphrates is spoken of as a new thing. The corresponding expression in 2Sa 10:6 is Beth-rehob, a district which has not yet been identified.

Syria-maachah ] R.V. Aram-maacah. Cp. 1Ch 7:15, note; Deu 3:14; Jos 12:5; Jos 13:11.

Zobah ] Cp. 1Ch 18:3 note.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

A thousand talents of silver – The price is not given in Samuel. On the practice of hiring troops about this time in western Asia, see 1Ki 15:18; 2Ki 7:6; 2Ch 25:6.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

1Ch 19:6-9

And when the children of Ammon.

Avenging an insult

I. Insult springing from slight provocation.

1. From a suspicious mind.

2. From advice of jealous princes.

II. Insult leading to unjust war. This War might have been avoided by an honourable apology or better understanding. One evil leads to smother.

III. War terminating in disgraceful overthrow. (J. Wolfendale.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 6. Chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia] These are not mentioned in the parallel place in Samuel; probably they did not arrive till the Ammonites and their other allies were defeated by the Israelites in the first battle.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

6. when the children of Ammon sawthat they had made themselves odious to DavidOne universalfeeling of indignation was roused throughout Israel, and all classessupported the king in his determination to avenge this unprovokedinsult on the Hebrew nation.

Hanun . . . sent a thousandtalents of silvera sum equal to 342,100, to procure theservices of foreign mercenaries.

chariots and horsemen out ofMesopotamia . . . Syria-maachah, and . . . ZobahTheMesopotamian troops did not arrive during this campaign (1Ch19:16). Syria-maachah lay on the north of the possessions of thetrans-jordanic Israelites, near Gilead.

Zobah(see on 1Ch18:3).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

See Gill “1Ch 19:1”.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Defeat of the Ammonites.

B. C. 1036.

      6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.   7 So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.   8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.   9 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.   10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.   11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.   12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.   13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.   14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.   15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.   16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.   17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.   18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.   19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.

      We may see here, 1. How the hearts of sinners that are marked for ruin are hardened to their destruction. The children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David (v. 6), and then it would have been their wisdom to desire conditions of peace, to humble themselves and offer any satisfaction for the injury they had done him, the rather because they had made themselves not only odious to David, but obnoxious to the justice of God, who is King of nations, and will assert the injured rights and maintain the violated laws of nations. But, instead of this, they prepared for war, and so brought upon themselves, by David’s hand, those desolations which he never intended them. 2. How the courage of brave men is heightened and invigorated by difficulties. When Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind (v. 10), instead of meditating a retreat, he doubled his resolution; and, though he could not double, he divided his army, and not only spoke, but acted, like a gallant man, that had great presence of mind when he saw himself surrounded. He engaged with his brother for mutual assistance (v. 12), excited himself and the rest of the officers to act vigorously in their respective posts, with an eye to God’s glory and their country’s good, not to any honour and advantage of their own, and then left the issue to God: Let the Lord do that which is right in his sight. 3. How vain the greatest art and strength are against justice and equity. The Ammonites did their utmost to make the best of their position: they brought as good a force into the field, and disposed it with as much policy as possible; yet, having a bad cause, and acting in defence of wrong, it would not do; they were put to the worst. Right will prevail and triumph at last. 4. To how little purpose it is for those to rally again, and reinforce themselves, that have not God on their side. The Syrians, though in no way concerned in the merits of the cause, but serving only as mercenaries to the Ammonites, when they were beaten, thought themselves concerned to retrieve their honour, and therefore called in the assistance of the Syrians on the other side Euphrates; but to no purpose, for still they fled before Israel (v. 18); they lost 7000 men, who are said to be the men of 700 chariots, 2 Sam. x. 18. For, as now in a man of war for sea-service they allot ten men to a gun, so then, in land-service, ten men to a chariot. 5. those who have meddled with strife that belongs not to them, and have found that they meddled to their own heart, do well to learn wit at length and meddle no further. The Syrians, finding that Israel was the conquering side, not only broke off their alliance with the Ammonites and would help them no more (v. 19), but made peace with David and became his servants. Let those who have in vain stood it out against God be thus wise for themselves, and agree with him quickly, while they are in the way. Let them become his servants; for they cannot but see themselves undone if they be his enemies.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

see note on: 2Sa 10:6

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(6) And when the children of Ammon.Up to this point the narrative has substantially coincided with 2 Samuel 10, and might have been derived immediately from it; but this and the following verses differ considerably from the older account, and add one or two material facts, which suggest another source.

Made themselves odious.Had become in bad odonr. A unique (Aramaized) form of the same verb as is used in Samuel (hithbsh for nibsh).

A thousand talents of silver.The talent was a weight, not a coin, coined money being unknown at that epoch. The sum specified amounts to 400,000. estimating the silver talent at 400. This detail is peculiar to the Chronicles.

Out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.Out of Aram-naharam, and out of Aram-maachah, &c Samuel has, And they hired Aram-beth-rehob and Aram-zobah, 20,000 foot, and the king of Maachah, 1,000 men, and the men (or chieftain) of Tb, 12,000men.Aram-naharam, i.e., Aram of the two rivers, was the country between the Tigris and Euphrates (see Jdg. 3:8); Aram-beth-rehob may have been one of its political divisions, and is perhaps to be identified with Rehoboth-hannahar (1Ch. 1:48), on the Euphrates. Another Rehoboth (Rehoboth-ir, Gen. 10:11) lay on the Tigris, north-east of Nineveh, and was a suburb of that great city. Aram-maachah imply the dominions of the king of Maachah, who is mentioned in 1Ch. 19:7; and Zobah, the Aram-zobah of Samuel. The chronicler makes no separate mention of the men of Tb (Jdg. 11:3), perhaps because they were subject to Hadadezer, and as such, included in his forces. The Syriac and Arabic here have from Aram-naharam, Haran, Nisibis, and Edom.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Defeat of the Ammonites

v. 6. And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, that they were a stench in his nostrils on account of their unprovoked treatment of his ambassadors, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver (almost $2,000,000) to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, beyond the Euphrates, and out of Syria-maachah, north of Gilead and Bozrah, in the country east of Jordan, and out of Zobah, north or northeast of Damascus.

v. 7. So they, the representatives of the Ammonites, hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people, who came and pitched before Medeba, a city of the tribe of Reuben, about nine miles southeast of Heshbon. The mercenary troops were such as could fight on horseback as well as in chariots, experienced in both forms of battle. And the children of Ammon, whose territory was somewhat farther to the east, gathered themselves together from their cities and came to battle, ready either for defensive or offensive work.

v. 8. And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men, the entire army of Israel’s military forces.

v. 9. And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: before their capital, Rabbah, the forts of the city thus serving to cover their rear. And the kings that were come were by themselves in the field; the mercenaries did not effect a union with the army of the Ammonites, but prepared to attack the forces of Israel from the north, from the flank or the rear.

v. 10. Now, when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, the Ammonites facing him, and the Syrians threatening him from the rear, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, from the number of the most valiant veterans, and put them in array against the Syrians, the more numerous and formidable enemies.

v. 11. And the rest of the people, the remainder of his army, he delivered unto the hand of Abishai, his brother, and they set themselves in array, they arranged themselves in battle order, against the children of Ammon, the weaker foe.

v. 12. And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee, thus arranging for mutual assistance.

v. 13. Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, for very much depends upon the attitude of the leader in all great crises, and for the cities of our God, which would have been in danger of capture and destruction in case the enemies had gained the victory; and let the Lord do that which is good in His sight. This is the trust which should characterize all Christians. After they have done all that is in their power, and if they are straining all their strength, they may leave the success of their efforts to the Lord in prayerful confidence.

v. 14. So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.

v. 15. And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, his brother, and entered into the city, they took refuge behind the strong walls of their capital, Rabbah. Then Joab came to Jerusalem, reserving the capture of the Ammonite capital for a later season. It is an easy matter for the Lord to grant the victory to the weaker side if thereby His plans are promoted.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

I pass over the historical part of this subject to attend to the spiritual. If sinners, who by their transgressions make themselves odious in the eyes of all lovers of holiness, would seek, by a change of conduct, to conciliate favor, instead of hardening themselves in sin, how blessed would be the change! But evil men, and seducers, (saith an apostle) wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 2Ti 3:13 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Mesopotamia. Heb, ‘Aram-naharaim = Syria of the two rivers.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

1Ch 19:6-9

1Ch 19:6-9

HANUN PREPARES FOR WAR AGAINST DAVID

“And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Aram-Maacah, and out of Zobah. So they hired them thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves from their cities, and came to battle. And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.”

E.M. Zerr:

1Ch 19:6-8. Odious means they realized they had offended David. They could have avoided serious trouble with him by proper acknowledgements, but their pride prevented them from doing so. They concluded that David would make war on them, for their insults to his men meant insults to him. They prepared for the conflict by hiring men out of Mesopotamia and other places, to come and help them in their conflict with David. Such allies today are called mercenaries, meaning men who fight for money and not because of sympathy for the cause for which they pretend to be fighting. Mesopotamia was the country east of the Euphrates, and Syria-maachah was a small district in the territory of Syria, which lay nearer Palestine. Military forces from these communities were induced to come to the aid of Hanun, and they pitched their camp before Medeba, a town just east of the Jordan. The Ammonites brought their forces and joined themselves to their hired allies to fight against David.

1Ch 19:9. While the Ammonites were allies in this battle, they arrayed themselves as units distinct from the forces hired to help them. They operated near the gate of the city, and their hired allies were out in the field. That was a piece of good strategy, because it presented two fronts to the other side.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

had made: Luk 10:16, 1Th 4:8

odious: Heb. to stink, Gen 34:30, Exo 5:21, 1Sa 13:4, 1Sa 27:12, Psa 14:3, *marg.

a thousand: 2Ch 16:2, 2Ch 16:3, 2Ch 25:6, 2Ch 27:5, Psa 46:9

Syriamaachah: 2Sa 10:6

Zobah: 2Ch 18:3, 2Ch 18:5, 2Ch 18:9, 1Sa 14:47, 2Sa 8:3, 1Ki 11:23, 1Ki 11:24

Reciprocal: Gen 24:10 – Mesopotamia Act 2:9 – Mesopotamia

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

19:6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of {e} Zobah.

(e) Which were five in all.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes