3 And he brought out H3318 the people H5971 that were in it, and cut H7787 them with saws, H4050 and with harrows H2757 of iron, H1270 and with axes. H4050 Even so dealt H6213 David H1732 with all the cities H5892 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 And David H1732 and all the people H5971 returned H7725 to Jerusalem. H3389
And they made H4843 their lives H2416 bitter H4843 with hard H7186 bondage, H5656 in morter, H2563 and in brick, H3843 and in all manner of service H5656 in the field: H7704 all their service, H5656 wherein they made them serve, H5647 was with rigour. H6531
Now therefore ye are cursed, H779 and there shall none of you be freed H3772 from being bondmen, H5650 and hewers H2404 of wood H6086 and drawers H7579 of water H4325 for the house H1004 of my God. H430
And the princes H8269 of Succoth H5523 said, H559 Are the hands H3709 of Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 now in thine hand, H3027 that we should give H5414 bread H3899 unto thine army? H6635 And Gideon H1439 said, H559 Therefore when the LORD H3068 hath delivered H5414 Zebah H2078 and Zalmunna H6759 into mine hand, H3027 then I will tear H1758 your flesh H1320 with the thorns H6975 of the wilderness H4057 and with briers. H1303
And he took H3947 the elders H2205 of the city, H5892 and thorns H6975 of the wilderness H4057 and briers, H1303 and with them he taught H3045 the men H582 of Succoth. H5523 And he beat down H5422 the tower H4026 of Penuel, H6439 and slew H2026 the men H582 of the city. H5892
And he brought forth H3318 the people H5971 that were therein, and put H7760 them under saws, H4050 and under harrows H2757 of iron, H1270 and under axes H4037 of iron, H1270 and made them pass H5674 through the brickkiln: H4404 and thus did H6213 he unto all the cities H5892 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983 So David H1732 and all the people H5971 returned H7725 unto Jerusalem. H3389
And David H1732 said, H559 I will shew H6213 kindness H2617 unto Hanun H2586 the son H1121 of Nahash, H5176 because his father H1 shewed H6213 kindness H2617 to me. And David H1732 sent H7971 messengers H4397 to comfort H5162 him concerning his father. H1 So the servants H5650 of David H1732 came H935 into the land H776 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 to Hanun, H2586 to comfort H5162 him. But the princes H8269 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 said H559 to Hanun, H2586 Thinkest H5869 thou that David H1732 doth honour H3513 thy father, H1 that he hath sent H7971 comforters H5162 unto thee? are not his servants H5650 come H935 unto thee for to search, H2713 and to overthrow, H2015 and to spy out H7270 the land? H776 Wherefore Hanun H2586 took H3947 David's H1732 servants, H5650 and shaved H1548 them, and cut off H3772 their garments H4063 in the midst H2677 hard by their buttocks, H4667 and sent them away. H7971 Then there went H3212 certain, and told H5046 David H1732 how the men H582 were served. And he sent H7971 to meet H7125 them: for the men H582 were greatly H3966 ashamed. H3637 And the king H4428 said, H559 Tarry H3427 at Jericho H3405 until your beards H2206 be grown, H6779 and then return. H7725
Thine hand H3027 shall find out H4672 all thine enemies: H341 thy right hand H3225 shall find out H4672 those that hate H8130 thee. Thou shalt make H7896 them as a fiery H784 oven H8574 in the time H6256 of thine anger: H6440 the LORD H3068 shall swallow them up H1104 in his wrath, H639 and the fire H784 shall devour H398 them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 20
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
1Ch 20:1-3. Rabbah Besieged by Joab, Spoiled by David, and the People Tortured.
1. at the time when kings go out to battle—in spring, the usual season in ancient times for entering on a campaign; that is, a year subsequent to the Syrian war.
Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country … of Ammon—The former campaign had been disastrous, owing chiefly to the hired auxiliaries of the Ammonites; and as it was necessary, as well as just, that they should be severely chastised for their wanton outrage on the Hebrew ambassadors, Joab ravaged their country and invested their capital, Rabbah. After a protracted siege, Joab took one part of it, the lower town or "city of waters," insulated by the winding course of the Jabbok. Knowing that the fort called "the royal city" would soon fall, he invited the king to come in person, and have the honor of storming it. The knowledge of this fact (mentioned in 2Sa 12:26) enables us to reconcile the two statements—"David tarried at Jerusalem" (1Ch 20:1), and "David and all the people returned to Jerusalem" (1Ch 20:3).
2. David took the crown of their king …, and found it to weigh a talent of gold—equal to one hundred twenty-five pounds. Some think that Malcom, rendered in our version "their king," should be taken as a proper name, Milcom or Molech, the Ammonite idol, which, of course, might bear a heavy weight. But, like many other state crowns of Eastern kings, the crown got at Rabbah was not worn on the head, but suspended by chains of gold above the throne.
precious stones—Hebrew, a "stone," or cluster of precious stones, which was set on David's head.
3. cut them with saws, &c.—The Hebrew word, "cut them," is, with the difference of the final letter, the same as that rendered "put them," in the parallel passage of Samuel [2Sa 12:31]; and many consider that putting them to saws, axes, and so forth, means nothing more than that David condemned the inhabitants of Rabbah to hard and penal servitude.
1Ch 20:4-8. Three Overthrows of the Philistines and Three Giants Slain.
4. war at Gezer—or Gob (see 2Sa 21:18-22).