The Ammonites Disgrace David's Men

 

1 Chronicles 19:1-9

 

March 25, 2023

 

The Ammonites Disgrace David's Men

Now after this Nahash the king of the Ammonites died, and his son reigned in his place.  And David said, “I will deal kindly with Hanun the son of Nahash, for his father dealt kindly with me.” So, David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. And David's servants came to the land of the Ammonites to Hanun to console him.  But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Do you think because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?”  So Hanun took David's servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away; and they departed. When David was told concerning the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, Hanun, and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah, and from Zobah.  They hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and encamped before Medeba. And the Ammonites were mustered from their cities and came to battle.  When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.  And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

 

The son of Nahash was now king, and like many who wanted more power and a bigger title, Hanun was not a wise man.  His dad had been good to David who sent men to pay honor to Nahash.  The book of the Proverbs is full of wise sayings for us to live by, but Hanun and his princes would not have read it in that it was a Jewish text.  Proverbs 27:10, Do not abandon your own friend and your father's friend and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your disaster. Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.  (Note: Proverbs had not been written at this time, it was written by Solomon and finished in the time of Hezekiah.)  So Hanun gets a pass, but what about you and me?

 

Often, one must wonder what did Hanun expect after such an act of disgrace to David and his managers.  He sure needed the book on how to win friends and influence people.  I have observed their not much help for stupid, and Hanun and his adviser were full of it.  History has a way of repeating; have you noticed that.

 

When one messes up a good relationship, it requires confessing and asking for forgiveness, not escalation.  But one more stupid does as stupid does and Hanun is going to show David he knows one to mess with, a big mistake.  I find that it is hard to seek forgiveness, it is easier to believe you can win the battle, and that is what Hanun did.  And to my shame I also in my business life I fought battles that could not be won.  And those battles come at a cost, all you have to do is read the rest of the chapter.

 

Looking to the Scriptures, good counsel can keep us out of trouble.  “Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.”  Proverbs 9:9

 

 

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice