8 And David heareth, and sendeth Joab, and all the host of the mighty men,
These `are' the names of the mighty ones whom David hath: sitting in the seat `is' the Tachmonite, head of the captains -- he `is' Adino, who hardened himself against eight hundred -- wounded at one time. And after him `is' Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi, of the three mighty men with David; in their exposing themselves among the Philistines -- they have been gathered there to battle, and the men of Israel go up -- he hath arisen, and smiteth among the Philistines till that his hand hath been weary, and his hand cleaveth unto the sword, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation on that day, and the people turn back after him only to strip off. And after him `is' Shammah son of Agee the Hararite, and the Philistines are gathered into a company, and there is there a portion of the field full of lentiles, and the people hath fled from the presence of the Philistines, and he stationeth himself in the midst of the portion, and delivereth it, and smiteth the Philistines, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation. And three of the thirty heads go down and come unto the harvest, unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the valley of Rephaim, and David `is' then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines `is' then in Beth-Lehem, and David longeth and saith, `Who doth give me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem, which `is' by the gate?' And the three mighty ones cleave through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water out of the well of Beth-Lehem, which `is' by the gate, and take `it' up, and bring in unto David; and he was not willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah, and saith, `Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this; is it the blood of the men who are going with their lives?' and he was not willing to drink it; these `things' did the three mighty ones. And Abishai brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, he `is' head of three, and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred -- wounded, and he hath a name among three. Of the three is he not the honoured? and he becometh their head; and unto the `first' three he hath not come. And Benaiah son of Jehoiada (son of a man of valour, great in deeds from Kabzeel), he hath smitten two lion-like men of Moab, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit in a day of snow. And he hath smitten the Egyptian man, a man of appearance, and in the hand of the Egyptian `is' a spear, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth him with his own spear. These `things' hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among three mighty. Of the thirty he is honoured, and unto the three he came not; and David setteth him over his guard. Asahel brother of Joab `is' of the thirty; Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem. Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, `of' the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, son of the Maachathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah, Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite; in all thirty and seven.
And these `are' heads of the mighty ones whom David hath, who are strengthening themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to cause him to reign, according to the word of Jehovah, over Israel. And this `is' an account of the mighty ones whom David hath: Jashobeam son of a Hachmonite `is' head of the thirty; he is lifting up his spear against three hundred -- wounded, at one time. And after him `is' Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, he `is' among the three mighty; he hath been with David in Pas-Dammim, and the Philistines have been gathered there to battle, and a portion of the field is full of barley, and the people have fled from the face of the Philistines, and they station themselves in the midst of the portion, and deliver it, and smite the Philistines, and Jehovah saveth -- a great salvation. And three of the thirty heads go down on the rock unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the host of the Philistines is encamping in the valley of Rephaim, and David `is' then in the fortress, and the station of the Philistines `is' then in Beth-Lehem, and David longeth, and saith, `Who doth give me to drink water from the well of Beth-Lehem, that `is' at the gate!' And the three break through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water from the well of Beth-Lehem, that `is' at the gate, and bear and bring in unto David, and David hath not been willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah, and saith, `Far be it from me, by my God, to do this; the blood of these men do I drink with their lives? for with their lives they have brought it;' and he was not willing to drink it; these `things' did the three mighty ones. And Abishai brother of Joab, he hath been head of the three: and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred -- wounded, and hath a name among three. Of the three by the two he is honoured, and becometh their head; and unto the `first' three he hath not come. Benaiah son of Jehoiada, son of a man of valour, of great deeds, from Kabzeel: he hath smitten the two lion-like Moabites, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit, in the day of snow. And he hath smitten the man, the Egyptian -- a man of measure, five by the cubit -- and in the hand of the Egyptian `is' a spear like a beam of weavers, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth him with his own spear. These `things' hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among the three mighty ones. Of the thirty, lo, he `is' honoured, and unto the `first' three he hath not come, and David setteth him over his guard. And the mighty ones of the forces `are' Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem, Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-Ezer the Annethothite, Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shage the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, Hezor the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, Joel brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Haggeri, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah, Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai, Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, head of the Reubenites, and by him thirty, Hanan son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel sons of Hothan the Aroerite, Jediael son of Shimri, and Joha his brother the Tizite, Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mesobaite.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 19
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 19 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 19
1Ch 19:1-5. David's Messengers, Sent to Comfort Hanun, Are Disgracefully Treated.
1. after this—This phrase seems to indicate that the incident now to be related took place immediately, or soon after the wars described in the preceding chapter. But the chronological order is loosely observed, and the only just inference that can be drawn from the use of this phrase is, that some farther account is to be given of the wars against the Syrians.
Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died—There had subsisted a very friendly relation between David and him, begun during the exile of the former, and cemented, doubtless, by their common hostility to Saul.
3. are not his servants come unto thee for to search?—that is, thy capital, Rabbah (2Sa 10:3).
4, 5. shaved them—not completely, but only the half of their face. This disrespect to the beard, and indecent exposure of their persons by their clothes being cut off from the girdle downwards, was the grossest indignity to which Jews, in common with all Orientals, could be subjected. No wonder that the men were ashamed to appear in public—that the king recommended them to remain in seclusion on the border till the mark of their disgrace had disappeared—and then they might, with propriety, return to the court.
1Ch 19:6-15. Joab and Abishai Overcome the Ammonites.
6. when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David—One universal feeling of indignation was roused throughout Israel, and all classes supported the king in his determination to avenge this unprovoked insult on the Hebrew nation.
Hanun … sent a thousand talents of silver—a sum equal to £342,100, to procure the services of foreign mercenaries.
chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia … Syria-maachah, and … Zobah—The Mesopotamian troops did not arrive during this campaign (1Ch 19:16). Syria-maachah lay on the north of the possessions of the trans-jordanic Israelites, near Gilead.
Zobah—(see on 1Ch 18:3).
7. So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots—Hebrew, "riders," or "cavalry," accustomed to fight either on horseback or in chariots, and occasionally on foot. Accepting this as the true rendering, the number of hired auxiliaries mentioned in this passage agrees exactly with the statement in 2Sa 10:6: twenty thousand (from Syria), twelve thousand (from Tob), equal to thirty-two thousand, and one thousand with the king of Maachah.
8. David … sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men—All the forces of Israel, including the great military orders, were engaged in this war.
9-15. children of Ammon … put the battle in array before the gate of the city—that is, outside the walls of Medeba, a frontier town on the Arnon.
the kings that were come were by themselves in the field—The Israelitish army being thus beset by the Ammonites in front, and by the Syrian auxiliaries behind, Joab resolved to attack the latter (the more numerous and formidable host), while he directed his brother Abishai, with a suitable detachment, to attack the Ammonites. Joab's address before the engagement displays the faith and piety that became a commander of the Hebrew people. The mercenaries being defeated, the courage of the Ammonites failed; so that, taking flight, they entrenched themselves within the fortified walls.
1Ch 19:16-19. Shophach Slain by David.
16. And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel—(See on 2Sa 10:15-19).
18. David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men—(Compare 2Sa 10:18, which has seven hundred chariots). Either the text in one of the books is corrupt [Keil, Davidson], or the accounts must be combined, giving this result—seven thousand horsemen, seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen [Kennicott, Houbigant, Calmet].