Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 19
Charles Ellicott Commentary
1 Chronicles 19
Charles Ellicott Commentary
1 Chronicles 19
"And it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead." — 1 Chronicles 19:1 (ASV)
Now it came to pass after this. —The same phrase as in 1 Chronicles 18:1; it has no chronological significance (see Note there). The conflict with Ammon, which has been glanced at in 1 Chronicles 18:11, is now to be described at length (1 Chronicles 19:1 to 1 Chronicles 20:3), and in connection with this, the overthrow of Hadadezer (1 Chronicles 18:3–8) is again related, with additional details.
"And David said, I will show kindness unto 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 into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him." — 1 Chronicles 19:2 (ASV)
Nahash Samuel omits, but adds “Hanun.” The omissions in each are perhaps accidental. Saul’s first campaign was against Nahash (1 Samuel 11:0).
Children of Ammon. —Sons of Ammon, like “sons of Israel.” The title calls attention to their tribal organization.
Because. —For. Samuel, “according as.”
Showed kindness to me. —The Hebrew phrase, which corresponds to the Greek of Luke 1:72. (See Revised Version.)
The rest of the verse is made clearer than in 2 Samuel 10:2 by slight changes and additions.
"But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?" — 1 Chronicles 19:3 (ASV)
Are not his servants come... for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land? —Literally, Is it not to search ... that his servants have come to you? This is hardly an improvement on Samuel: Is it not to search the city (Rabbath-Ammon, the capital), and to spy it out, and to overthrow it, that David has sent his servants to you? The Syriac and Arabic agree with Samuel in reading “city;” the Septuagint and Vulgate, “land.”
"So Hanun took David`s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away." — 1 Chronicles 19:4 (ASV)
Shaved them — i.e., half of their beards (Samuel).
Very near their buttocks. — Literally, to the extremities. The chronicler has substituted a more dignified term for the one which appears in Samuel.
Cut off their garments. — To look like captives (Isaiah 20:4).
"Then there went certain persons, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return." — 1 Chronicles 19:5 (ASV)
Ashamed. — Not the usual term (bôsh), but a stronger word, confounded (niklam; properly, pricked, wounded). (Compare Psalm 35:4, where it forms a climax to the other.)
Be grown. — Sprout, or shoot (Judges 16:22, of Samson’s hair).
Jericho lay on their road to the capital.
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