Joab's Campaign I Chronicles 19

I Chronicles 19:2 "And David said I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him."

Nahash, king of Ammon has died. David wanted to show kindness in a genuine way by sending messengers to express his sympathies. The son of Nahash had some poor advisers though. They convinced the new king that David was up to some trick. They shamed the messengers by shaving half their beards and shortening their garments.

v5 "Then there went certain 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."

The Ammon's realized they had made a grave mistake. They apparently knew that David would avenge his messengers. For in representing the king, it was as if they had shamed David himself.

v7 So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots and the king of Machah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities and came to battle."

David sent Joab to deal with them. Joab found himself surrounded and so divided his forces. The idea was that which ever division that needed help, the other would turn and help.

v12 "And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will hep thee."

It was a good plan and the enemy lost many of the hosts and fled the battlefield. The Syrians tried another maneuver but David himself, went out to battle and took on the Syrians.

v18 "But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.

The Syrians made peace with Israel and would not again help Ammon.

Psalm 124:6 "Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth."

Keywords: Joab, Israel, Chronicles, David, Syrians. Joab fights for Israel as captain of the host.