19:1 Accidit autem ut moreretur Naas rex filiorum Ammon, et regnaret filius ejus pro eo.
Now it came to pass that Naas the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.
A.M. 2967, A.C. 1037.
* Footnote * 2_Kings 10 : 1
And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanon his son reigned in his stead.
19:2 Dixitque David : Faciam misericordiam cum Hanon filio Naas : praestitit enim mihi pater ejus gratiam. Misitque David nuntios ad consolandum eum super morte patris sui. Qui cum pervenissent in terram filiorum Ammon ut consolarentur Hanon,
And David said: I will shew kindness to Hanon the son of Naas: for his father did a favour tome. And David sent messengers to comfort him upon the death of his father. But when they were come into the land of the children of Ammon, to comfort Hanon,
19:3 dixerunt principes filiorum Ammon ad Hanon : Tu forsitan putas, quod David honoris causa in patrem tuum miserit qui consolentur te : nec animadvertis quod ut explorent, et investigent, et scrutentur terram tuam, venerint ad te servi ejus.
*H The princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanon: Thou thinkest perhaps that David to do honour to thy father hath sent comforters to thee: and thou dost not take notice, that his servants are come to thee to consider, and search, and spy out thy land.
Ver. 3. Land, or city, 2 K. x. 3. C. — What evils proceed from evil counsellors!
19:4 Igitur Hanon pueros David decalvavit, et rasit, et praecidit tunicas eorum a natibus usque ad pedes, et dimisit eos.
*H Wherefore Hanon shaved the heads and beards of the servants of David, and cut away their garments from the buttocks to the feet, and sent them away.
Ver. 4. From. Heb. "in the midst, above the thighs:" exposing them to derision. H.
19:5 Qui cum abiissent, et hoc mandassent David, misit in occursum eorum (grandem enim contumeliam sustinuerant) et praecepit ut manerent in Jericho, donec cresceret barba eorum, et tunc reverterentur.
And when they were gone, they sent word to David, who sent to meet them (for they had suffered a great affront) and ordered them to stay at Jericho till their beards grew and then to return.
19:6 Videntes autem filii Ammon quod injuriam fecissent David, tam Hanon quam reliquus populus, miserunt mille talenta argenti, ut conducerent sibi de Mesopotamia, et de Syria Maacha, et de Soba currus et equites.
*H And when the children of Ammon saw that they had done an injury to David, Hanon and the rest of the people sent a thousand talents of silver, to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia and out of Syria Maacha, and out of Soba.
Ver. 6. Done. Heb. "made themselves stinking." Sept. "that the people of David was covered with confusion." The insult fell on all Israel. — Mesopotamia is not mentioned 2 K. as the troops perhaps did not arrive soon enough for the first battle, v. 16.
19:7 Conduxeruntque triginta duo millia curruum, et regem Maacha cum populo ejus. Qui cum venissent, castrametati sunt e regione Medaba. Filii quoque Ammon congregati de urbibus suis venerunt ad bellum.
*H And they hired two and thirty thousand chariots, and the king of Maacha, with his people. And they came and camped over against Medaba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together out of their cities, and came to battle.
Ver. 7. Chariots. This number seems excessive, and it may have been put for infantry; the number of which, specified 2 K. was 33,000. But the troops of Mesopotamia are not there mentioned, and this supplies what was left defective. C. — The chariots may signify those who fought upon them. M. v. 18. Isai. xxi. 7. T. — Sometimes the whole number is specified; at others only a part.
19:8 Quod cum audisset David, misit Joab, et omnem exercitum virorum fortium :
And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of valiant men:
19:9 egressique filii Ammon, direxerunt aciem juxta portam civitatis ; reges autem, qui ad auxilium ejus venerant, separatim in agro steterunt.
And the children of Ammon came out and put their army in array before the gate of the city: and the kings, that were come to their aid, stood apart in the field.
19:10 Igitur Joab, intelligens bellum ex adverso et post tergum contra se fieri, elegit viros fortissimos de universo Israel, et perrexit contra Syrum.
Wherefore Joab understanding that the battle was set against him before and behind, chose out the bravest men of all Israel, and marched against the Syrians,
19:11 Reliquam autem partem populi dedit sub manu Abisai fratris sui : et perrexerunt contra filios Ammon.
And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abisai his brother, and they went against the children of Ammon.
19:12 Dixitque : Si vicerit me Syrus, auxilio eris mihi : si autem superaverint te filii Ammon, ero tibi in praesidium.
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, I will help thee.
19:13 Confortare, et agamus viriliter pro populo nostro, et pro urbibus Dei nostri : Dominus autem, quod in conspectu suo bonum est, faciet.
Be of good courage and let us behave ourselves manfully for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord will do that which is good in his sight.
19:14 Perrexit ergo Joab et populus qui cum eo erat, contra Syrum ad praelium : et fugavit eos.
So Joab and the people that were with him, went against the Syrians to the battle: and he put them to flight.
19:15 Porro filii Ammon videntes quod fugisset Syrus, ipsi quoque fugerunt Abisai fratrem ejus, et ingressi sunt civitatem : reversusque est etiam Joab in Jerusalem.
And the children of Ammon seeing that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled from Abisai his brother, and went into the city: and Joab also returned to Jerusalem.
19:16 Videns autem Syrus quod cecidisset coram Israel, misit nuntios, et adduxit Syrum, qui erat trans fluvium : Sophach autem princeps militiae Adarezer erat dux eorum.
*H But the Syrians seeing that they had fallen before Israel, sent messengers, and brought to them the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Sophach, general of the army of Adarezer, was their leader.
Ver. 16. River, in Mesopotamia. Joab did not allow them time to arrive. — Sophach, or Sobac. Adarezer sent also to collect these forces. 2 K.
19:17 Quod cum nuntiatum esset David, congregavit universum Israel, et transivit Jordanem, irruitque in eos et direxit ex adverso aciem, illis contra pugnantibus.
And it was told David, and he gathered together all Israel, and passed the Jordan, and came upon them, and put his army in array against them, and they fought with him.
19:18 Fugit autem Syrus Israel, et interfecit David de Syris septem millia curruum, et quadraginta millia peditum, et Sophach exercitus principem.
*H But the Syrian fled before Israel: and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and Sophach the general of the army.
Ver. 18. Chariots. Lit. "chariot." 2 K. has only 700, and 40,000 horsemen. C. — Ten men might be in each chariot. D.
19:19 Videntes autem servi Adarezer se ab Israel esse superatos, transfugerunt ad David, et servierunt ei : noluitque ultra Syria auxilium praebere filiis Ammon.
*H And when the servants of Adarezer saw themselves overcome by Israel, they went over to David, and served him: and Syria would not help the children of Ammon any more.
Ver. 19. Went. Heb. "made peace with David." The many petty kings who had hitherto been tributary to Adarezer, submitted now to the conqueror. C.
A.M. 2968, A.C. 1036.