“When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David’s nostrils, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah and Zobah.”
– 1 Chronicles 19:6
Hi James and Ellen,
Do you always try to say something affirming to other kids – and to guys and gals? Do you like it when other kids – and guys and gals, say something encouraging to you? Have you ever said something kind to another kid – or to a guy or gal, only to have the kid – or the guy or gal, become really annoyed by what you have just said to him or her? Have you ever had another kid – or guy or gal, completely misunderstand why you have said something nice to him or her? Have you ever had another kid – or a guy or gal, question your motives as to why you would want to say something that compliments him or her for whatever? After your grandpaa commended a South America Mission field team missionary for the really good job that he did with setting up the logistics for a short term ministry team while the team was in Bolivia and on how really well he supervised the short term ministry team as it worked on a construction project on the urban resident Bible education and leadership training center property that is located near Santa Cruz, the missionary went ballistic – saying that your grandpaa said what he was said because your grandpaa wanted him to set up and lead more short term ministry teams – which he definitely was not going to do again. Your grandpaa at this time was South America Mission’s Bolivia field missionary team’s Field Director. The missionary who your grandpaa had been genuinely pleased with on how well that he had done with setting up and overseeing a short term ministry team really believed that your grandpaa had said something complimentary to him in order to get him to set up and to lead other short term ministry teams – and this was something that he was absolutely not going to have anything to do with ever again if he had anything to say about it. The defensive reaction that your grandpaa got from the missionary – after your grandpaa sincerely wanted to bless the guy for the really good job that he had done, really surprised your grandpaa. The missionary then contacted South America Missions headquarters resulting in the Director of South America Mission flying to Bolivia to meet with your grandpaa and with the missionary’s supervisor. Your grandpaa came out of the meeting feeling like he has been set up to face a firing squad to be shot.
What do you think that you should do if another kid – or a guy or gal, snubs your desire to be supportive of him or her? When David reached out in kindness to Hanun after Hanun’s dad Nahash died, David ended up at war with Hanun. David at this time was king over the guys and gals who lived in the land area of Judah. Nahash had been the king over the Ammonite people group guys and gals. The Ammonite people group’s land area was located east of the Jordon River. Hanun – after his dad died, took on being the Ammonite people group’s king. Even though the Ammonite and Israelite people groups did not have an alliance between themselves, there should not have been any reason for Hanun to be suspicious of David’s motives when David sent a delegation of guys to where Hanun was living to express to Hanun his personal, sincere sympathy for the death of his dad. After getting some probably unsolicited counsel from Ammonite people group nobles – who really thought that David was taking advantage of Nahash’s death to send guys to scope out their land area for the purpose of returning with the Israelite people group army to overthrow them, Hanun’s response was to shave off the hair of the couriers who David sent their way with his personal sympathy message regarding Nahash’s death and he had his guys cut away everything from around each guy’s buttock’s area in order to totally humiliate the guys and to send a message back to David that he was not going to deceive them with a ploy. The Chronicles Books author recorded this incident in 1 Chronicles 19. Verse 6 uses a very strong adjective to explain how David felt toward the Ammonite people group guys after what they did to the guys who he had sent to their land area with his sincere message of compassion regarding Nahash’s death, “When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David’s nostrils, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah and Zobah.”
Aramean people group leaders took the silver that the Ammonite people group leaders sent them and then sent 32,000 chariots and charioteers with the king of Maacah and his troops to Medeba – which is where the Ammonite people group guys were mustering their forces for an expected confrontation with David and his Israelite people group army. The Aramean people group land area was located north of the Israelite people group land area – in the area that is now Syria. The Aramean people group warriors had to do some trekking to get to where the battle would take place. Knowing what was happening, David ordered Joab – his top military guy, to take an entire battalion of fighters and to head for the Ammonite staging area with his soldiers. When Joab saw the Aramean battle lines, Joab took some of the best fighters to fight against the Aramean army. Joab had his bro Abishai deploy the rest of the soldiers against the Ammonites. Even though outnumbered, the Israelite people group soldiers – with the help of David and the soldiers with him, routed the Aramean and Ammonite armies. Hunan’s rejection of David’s kindness led to 7,000 Aramean charioteers, 40,000 Aramean foot soldiers and the Aramean army commander – Shophach, being killed. Trust will invariably take place when kind words are authentically said and appreciatively accepted.
1 Chronicles 19 (999)