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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T C H R O N I C L E S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XIX.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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The story is here repeated of David's war with the Ammonites and the
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Syrians their allies, and the victories he obtained over them, which we
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read just as it is here related,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+10:1-19">2 Sam. x.</A>
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Here is,
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I. David's civility to the king of Ammon, in sending an embassy of
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condolence to him on occasion of his father's death,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>.
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II. His great incivility to David, in the base usage he gave to his
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ambassadors,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:3,4">ver. 3, 4</A>.
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III. David's just resentment of it, and the war which broke out
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thereupon, in which the Ammonites acted with policy in bringing the
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Syrians to their assistance
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:6,7">ver. 6, 7</A>),
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Joab did bravely
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:8-13">ver. 8-13</A>),
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and Israel was once and again victorious,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:14-19">ver. 14-19</A>.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Ill Usage of David's Servants.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1037.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the
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children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.
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2 And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of
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Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent
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messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants
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of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to
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comfort him.
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3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun,
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Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath
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sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee
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for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?
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4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and
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cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and
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sent them away.
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5 Then there went <I>certain,</I> and told David how the men were
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served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly
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ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be
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grown, and <I>then</I> return.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Let us here observe,
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1. That is becomes good people to be neighbourly, and especially to be
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grateful. David will pay respect to Hanun because he is his neighbour;
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and religion teaches us to be civil and obliging to all, to honour all
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men, and to be ready to do all offices of kindness to those we live
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among; nor must difference in religion be any obstruction to this. But,
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besides this, David remembered the kindness which his father showed to
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him. Those that have received kindness must return it as they have
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ability and opportunity: those that have received it from the parents
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must return it to the children when they are gone.
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2. That, as saith the proverb of the ancients, <I>Wickedness proceedeth
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from the wicked,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+24:13">1 Sam. xxiv. 13</A>.
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The vile person will speak villany, and the instruments of the churl
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will be evil, to <I>destroy those with lying words that speak
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right,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+32:6,7">Isa. xxxii. 6, 7</A>.
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Those that are base, and design ill themselves, are apt to be jealous
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and to suspect ill of others without cause. Hanun's servant suggested
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that David's ambassadors came as spies, as if so great and mighty a man
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as David needed to do so mean a thing (if he had any design upon the
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Ammonites, he could effect it by open force, and had no occasion for
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any fraudulent practices), or as if a man of such virtue and honour
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would do so base a thing. Yet Hanun hearkened to the suggestion, and,
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against the law of nations, treated David's ambassadors villainously.
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3. Masters ought to protect their servants, and with the greatest
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tenderness to concern themselves for them if they come by any loss or
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damage in their service. David did so for his ambassadors,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>.
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Christ will do so for his ministers; and let all masters thus <I>give
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unto their servants that which is just and equal.</I></P>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_18"> </A>
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<A NAME="1Ch19_19"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Defeat of the Ammonites.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1036.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made
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themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent
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a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen
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out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.
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7 So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king
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of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba.
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And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their
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cities, and came to battle.
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8 And when David heard <I>of it,</I> he sent Joab, and all the host
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of the mighty men.
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9 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in
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array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come
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<I>were</I> by themselves in the field.
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10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before
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and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put
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<I>them</I> in array against the Syrians.
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11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of
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Abishai his brother, and they set <I>themselves</I> in array against
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the children of Ammon.
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12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou
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shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for
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thee, then I will help thee.
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13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly
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for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
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do <I>that which is</I> good in his sight.
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14 So Joab and the people that <I>were</I> with him drew nigh before
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the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.
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15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were
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fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered
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into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.
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16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse
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before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians
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that <I>were</I> beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the
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host of Hadarezer <I>went</I> before them.
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17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and
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passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set <I>the battle</I> in
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array against them. So when David had put the battle in array
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against the Syrians, they fought with him.
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18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the
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Syrians seven thousand <I>men which fought in</I> chariots, and forty
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thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.
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19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to
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the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became
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his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of
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Ammon any more.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We may see here,
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1. How the hearts of sinners that are marked for ruin are hardened to
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their destruction. The children of Ammon saw that <I>they had made
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themselves odious to David</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>),
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and then it would have been their wisdom to desire conditions of peace,
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to humble themselves and offer any satisfaction for the injury they had
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done him, the rather because they had made themselves not only odious
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to David, but obnoxious to the justice of God, who is <I>King of
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nations,</I> and will assert the injured rights and maintain the
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violated laws of nations. But, instead of this, they prepared for war,
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and so brought upon themselves, by David's hand, those desolations
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which he never intended them.
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2. How the courage of brave men is heightened and invigorated by
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difficulties. When Joab saw that the battle was set against him before
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and behind
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>),
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instead of meditating a retreat, he doubled his resolution; and, though
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he could not double, he divided his army, and not only spoke, but
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acted, like a gallant man, that had great presence of mind when he saw
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himself surrounded. He engaged with his brother for mutual assistance
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>),
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excited himself and the rest of the officers to act vigorously in their
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respective posts, with an eye to God's glory and their country's good,
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not to any honour and advantage of their own, and then left the issue
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to God: <I>Let the Lord do that which is right in his sight.</I>
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3. How vain the greatest art and strength are against justice and
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equity. The Ammonites did their utmost to make the best of their
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position: they brought as good a force into the field, and disposed it
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with as much policy as possible; yet, having a bad cause, and acting in
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defence of wrong, it would not do; they were put to the worst. Right
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will prevail and triumph at last.
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4. To how little purpose it is for those to rally again, and reinforce
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themselves, that have not God on their side. The Syrians, though in no
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way concerned in the merits of the cause, but serving only as
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mercenaries to the Ammonites, when they were beaten, thought themselves
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concerned to retrieve their honour, and therefore called in the
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assistance of the Syrians on the other side Euphrates; but to no
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purpose, for still they <I>fled before Israel</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>);
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they lost 7000 men, who are said to be the men of 700 chariots,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+10:18">2 Sam. x. 18</A>.
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For, as now in a man of war for sea-service they allot ten men to a
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gun, so then, in land-service, ten men to a chariot.
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5. those who have <I>meddled with strife that belongs not to them,</I>
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and have found that they <I>meddled to their own heart,</I> do well to
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learn wit at length and meddle no further. The Syrians, finding that
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Israel was the conquering side, not only broke off their alliance with
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the Ammonites and would help them no more
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+19:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>),
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<I>but made peace with David and became his servants.</I> Let those who
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have in vain stood it out against God be thus wise for themselves, and
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<I>agree with him quickly, while they are in the way.</I> Let them
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become his servants; for they cannot but see themselves undone if they
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be his enemies.</P>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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[<A HREF="MHC13020.HTM">Next</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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