The chapter where a diplomatic gesture became a war. David sent ambassadors to mourn with Ammon’s new king after his father died; Hanun’s court advisers convinced him the men were spies. What followed was a two-front battle, a commander’s speech about courage before overwhelming odds, and a decisive Israelite victory t

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Lyrics

After this Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died And his son reigned in his place

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

But when the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun Do you think that David honours your father Because he has sent comforters unto you Are not his servants come to you for to search and to overthrow the 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 The men were greatly ashamed and King David said unto them Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown

And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver To hire chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia and out of Aram Maacah

So they hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah And his people who came and encamped before Medeba And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities

When David heard of it he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men The children of Ammon came out and put the battle in array At the gate of the city and the kings that had come were by themselves

Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind He chose out of all the choice young men of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians

The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother And they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon If the Syrians be too strong for me then you shall help me Be of good courage and let us play the men for our people

The Lord delivered them Victory came to David The covenant proved true The battle was the Lord’s

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1 Chronicles 19 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.

Published 2026-05-22 · Last updated 2026-06-06
Written by Reid Wender, Editorial Director at Psalmody Press