Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
1 Chronicles 19:1

Clarke's Commentary

CHAPTER XIX

David sends a congratulatory message to Hanun, king of Ammon,

1, 2.

He treats the messengers with great incivility, 3, 4.

David is exasperated, but condoles with the degraded

messengers, 5.

The Ammonites prepare for war, and hire thirty-two thousand

chariots, and besiege Medeba, 6, 7.

David sends Joab to attack them; he defeats the Syrians and

Ammonites, 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, 16-18.

The Syrians abandon the Ammonites and make a separate peace

with David, 19.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIX

Verse 1 Chronicles 19:1. Now it came to pass — See the same history, 2 Samuel 10:1, &c., and the notes there.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

David’s fame (18:1-22:1)

Before speaking further of the temple, the writer lists a number of David’s victories in war. These records show how God was strengthening David’s kingdom according to his promise, but they show also why God would not allow David to build the temple. One who had caused so much bloodshed was not a suitable person to build the nation’s sacred place of worship (see 22:7-10).

The writer records victories over miscellaneous enemies (18:1-17; see notes on 2 Samuel 8:1-18); victory over a combined Ammonite-Syrian attack (19:1-19; see notes on 2 Samuel 10:1-19); victory over Ammon at Rabbah (20:1-3; see notes on 2 Samuel 11:1; 2 Samuel 12:26-31); and various victories over the Philistines (4-8; see notes on 2 Samuel 21:18-22).

In bringing these battle stories together, the writer has omitted a number of passages from the parallel section of 2 Samuel. He is concerned with God’s plan for establishing the kingdom of David, not with the fate of Saul’s survivors (2 Samuel 9:1-13; 2 Samuel 21:1-17), nor with David’s personal sins and family troubles (2 Samuel 11:2-25; 2 Samuel 13:1-26).

There is, however, one sin of David’s that the Chronicler does record, and that is his numbering of the people. Yet even this story is recorded not to point out a personal weakness, but to show how David bought the piece of ground on which the temple was to be built (21:1-22:1; see notes on 2 Samuel 24:1-25). The writer now moves on to show how David, having bought the site, began preparations for the temple’s construction.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

AMMONITES AND SYRIANS MAKE WAR AGAINST DAVID;
DAVID'S MESSENGERS OF GOOD WILL INSULTED

And it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead. And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David's messengers came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him. But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee to search, to overthrow, and to spy out the land? Then Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. Then there went certain persons, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Compare the marginal references and notes. The writer here adds one or two touches, and varies in one or two of the numbers.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.   2 And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.   3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?   4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.   5 Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

      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,1 Samuel 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,Isaiah 32:6; Isaiah 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, 1 Chronicles 19:5; 1 Chronicles 19:5. Christ will do so for his ministers; and let all masters thus give unto their servants that which is just and equal.