1 Chronicles 19:1-19 - Dishonor, Shame, and Consequences

1 Chronicles 19:1-19

The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated (2 Samuel 10:1–19)

1 It happened after this that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to 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 servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.

3 And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun, “Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?”

4 Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 Then some went and told David about the men; and he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”

6 When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the people of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Syrian Maacah, and from Zobah. 7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, with the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. Also the people of Ammon gathered together from their cities, and came to battle.

8 Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. 9 Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array before the gate of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

10 When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. 11 And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in battle array against the people of Ammon. 12 Then he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight.”

14 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 15 When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai his brother, and entered the city. So Joab went to Jerusalem.

16 Now when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought the Syrians who were beyond the River, and Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army went before them. 17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan and came upon them, and set up in battle array against them. So when David had set up in battle array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18 Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians, and killed Shophach the commander of the army. 19 And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his servants. So the Syrians were not willing to help the people of Ammon anymore.

When king David wanted to show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, king of Ammon, the son of the deceased king listened to the leaders of the people of Ammon instead of David’s messengers bringing condolences from good will.  They stirred up a conspiracy of spying and ill-will, and then shamed the messengers in a most disgusting way and sent them away.  The people of Ammon realized they had angered David and his mighty kingdom under God and hired help from the Syrians and other armies like mercenaries to help defend themselves from the dishonor and shame they had inflicted on the messengers of good news who had been so badly treated for their message which they had disbelieved and discarded.  They face dire consequences for those actions when David sent general Joab to attack Ammon.  The battle turned and the Syrians fled after godly wisdom gave good and effective tactics against them.  David’s army soundly routed the Syrians and they made a peace treaty as a consequence of their defeat for siding with sinful Ammon which they promised never to do again.  There is a parallel to the army of God in Christ here.  The ones disbelieving the gospel who shame the messengers bringing hope and good will will be held accountable (Revelation 6:10, 11:18) in the day of judgment for their rejection of the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17) and shaming of His children (Luke 21:12, Acts 7:51-52, Romans 1:16, 1 Peter 2:20-21) who bring the good news of reconciliation to the King of Kings and entrance into the eternal kingdom to them.  This account of dishonor, shame, and consequences teaches us to listen to the gospel and not the lies of conspiracies against the truth, and to turn from sin and its consequences to the King who calls us to peace (Romans 5:1) with Him through the message preached in seeming (1 Corinthians 1:21, 27, 28-29) foolishness.  Who do we believe and follow?  Do we honor God by believing His Son’s message of reconciliation or allow the shame of the world to keep us from peace with God?