1 Chronicles 19 Explained - 5 Minute Bible Study

1 Chronicles 19 Short Summary:

1 Chronicles 19 documents how Hanun, king of the Ammonites, shamed David’s servants and started a war. The Israelites fought the Ammonites and Syrians and defeated them near Medeba. The Syrians regrouped under the command of Hadadezer and Shophach, but they were defeated again and became the servants of Israel.

What is 1 Chronicles 19 About?

WHEN:

• The Book of 1 Chronicles was written several hundred years after King David’s reign.  

• David became king of Judah in approximately 1055 B.C, the year Saul died. David’s reign spanned approximately 40 years (1055-1015 B.C.). He reigned over Judah for 7 years and 6 months, before becoming king over all Israel. His reign over all Judah and Israel lasted 33 years.

CHARACTERS:

• Hanun – King of the Ammonites. He took the throne after the death of his father, Nahash.

• David – The second king over all Israel and Judah.

• Joab – Commander of the army of Israel.

• Hadadezer – King of Zobah (8:3).

• Shophach – The commander of Hadadezer’s army.

WHERE:

• The Ammonites lived on the east side of the Jordan River.

• The Israelites appear to have fought the Ammonites around Medeba (1 Chr 19:7).

• The Syrians called their allies from beyond the Euphrates River to help them fight David.

• The Israelites fought the army of Hadadezer at Halem.

OUTLINE:

• *2 Samuel 10 is a parallel to this chapter.

• THE AMMONITES SHAME DAVID’S SERVANTS (19:1-5):

  • Nahash, the king of Ammon, died and was replaced by his son, Hanun.

  • Nahash had been an ally of David’s, so David sent messengers to console Hanun.

  • But Hanun’s advisors convinced him David’s messengers were spies.

  • Hanun shamed the messengers by cutting off half their beards and half their clothing and sending them home.

• JOAB LEADS ISRAEL’S ARMY AGAINST THE AMMONITES (19:6-15):

  • David was so offended that he brought his army out against the Ammonites.

  • The Ammonites hired soldiers from Syria (Zobah), Mesopotamia, and Aram-maacah to fight the Israelites.

  • Joab and his brother, Abishai, led the army of Israel against the Ammonite force, and God gave them victory.

  • The Syrians and Ammonites fled, and the Israelites returned home.

• ISRAEL FIGHTS THE SYRIANS AGAIN AT HELAM (19:16-19):

  • The Syrians regrouped and called to allies across the Euphrates River for reinforcements. They united under the command of Hadadezer (19:16) and his commander, Shophach.

  • David met them for battle at a placed called Helam (2 Sam 10:16).

  • Once again, the Israelites defeated the Syrians, killing tens of thousands of their soldiers.

  • Shophach was killed during the battle.

  • Hadadezer’s men were forced to surrender and become servants to the Israelites.

APPLICATION:

• Joab encouraged his men, saying, “Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to Him.” (19:13).

• Joab rallied his men to fight courageously, but he also acknowledged it was God who was ultimately going to decide the outcome of the battle.

• It is right and good to work hard towards the outcomes we would like to see, but we must always remember that there is more to the equation than just our personal effort.

• Human effort isn’t the most powerful force at work in the universe.