1 Chronicles Chapter 19
Showing all 19 verses for 1 Chronicles Chapter 19.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead. "
"Time passed, and Nahash, king of the Ammonites, died; his son took over as king."
I know how easily loyalty from one generation doesn't automatically pass to the next - approach new relationships with an open hand, not assumptions built on the past.
"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. "
"David decided to be kind to Hanun, Nahash's son, because Nahash had once been kind to him. So David sent messengers to console Hanun over his father's death, and David's men travelled to Ammon to comfort him."
Remembering kindness done to you and repaying it, even to someone new in the relationship, is exactly the kind of quiet decency I want from you - keep doing good even when there's no guarantee it will be received well.
"But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land? "
"But the Ammonite officials told Hanun, 'Do you really think David is honouring your father by sending comforters? Isn't it obvious his men have come to spy out the land and prepare to conquer it?'"
Be careful whose voice shapes how you interpret other people's actions - suspicion fed by people who don't know the full story can turn a friend into an enemy in your mind before anything has actually gone wrong.
"Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away. "
"So Hanun seized David's men, shaved off half their beards, cut their robes short at the hips, and sent them away like that."
Watch how quickly one act of contempt can lock two sides into a cycle they can't easily walk back from - think about the door you're closing before you act out of fear or wounded pride.
"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. "
"When David heard how his men had been treated, he sent people to meet them, because the men were deeply humiliated. The king told them, 'Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, then come home.'"
When someone you care about has been humiliated, give them space and time to heal rather than forcing them back into the spotlight before they're ready - protecting someone's dignity is a real act of love.
"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 them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah. "
"When the Ammonites realised they had made themselves hated by David, Hanun and his people sent a huge sum - a thousand talents of silver - to hire chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, Syria-Maachah, and Zobah."
When you sense you've wronged someone, the way forward is honesty and repair, not building bigger defences - throwing more resources at covering a mistake rarely solves the real problem underneath it.
"So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle. "
"They hired thirty-two thousand chariots along with the king of Maachah and his troops, who came and camped near Medeba. Meanwhile the Ammonites gathered from their cities and prepared for battle."
Notice how one small refusal to trust another person's good intentions can snowball into something far bigger than anyone intended - de-escalation is always cheaper than the fight that follows pride.
"And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. "
"When David heard about this, he sent Joab out with the entire army of experienced fighting men."
Knowing when to lead personally and when to trust someone capable to act on your behalf is real wisdom - you don't have to carry every battle yourself.
"And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field. "
"The Ammonites lined up for battle at the entrance of their city, while the kings who had come to help them were positioned separately out in the open field."
Life sometimes puts pressure on you from more than one direction at once - what matters is not panicking, but thinking clearly about how to meet each challenge with the right response.
"Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians. "
"When Joab saw that he was facing enemies both in front and behind, he picked out Israel's best fighters and positioned them against the Syrians."
When you're surrounded by more than one problem, work out which one truly needs your best effort first, rather than spreading yourself thin trying to handle everything equally at once.
"And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon. "
"He put the rest of the troops under the command of his brother Abishai, and they lined up against the Ammonites."
Sharing responsibility with people you trust, especially family, isn't a weakness - it's often exactly how a hard task gets done well.
"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 help thee. "
"Joab said to Abishai, 'If the Syrians prove too strong for me, come and help me. But if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I'll come and help you.'"
Build real agreements with the people around you - not just good intentions, but a concrete plan for showing up when the other person needs help. That's what love in action looks like.
"Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight. "
"Joab said, 'Be strong, and let's fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. And let the LORD do what he thinks is best.'"
Do your very best with everything in your control, then let go of the outcome - that combination of full effort and genuine trust is what real courage looks like, not anxious grasping for certainty.
"So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him. "
"So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Syrians, and the Syrians fled before him."
Don't be intimidated by the size or apparent strength of what's in front of you - conviction and clear purpose often outlast what merely looks impressive on the surface.
"And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem. "
"When the Ammonites saw the Syrians running away, they also fled from Abishai and retreated into their city. Then Joab went back to Jerusalem."
The people and things you lean on for confidence matter - if your courage depends entirely on someone else standing firm, it can vanish the moment they falter. Build a steadier foundation than that.
"And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them. "
"When the Syrians realised they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for reinforcements - more Syrian troops from beyond the Euphrates River - led by Shophach, the commander of Hadarezer's army."
Some challenges in life don't resolve after a single victory - be ready for the fact that real change or real peace sometimes takes more than one round of effort.
"And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him. "
"When David was told of this, he gathered the whole army of Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and positioned his forces against the Syrians, who then engaged him in battle."
There are moments that call for you to show up in person, not just send help - knowing when your own presence and commitment matter most is part of caring well for the people who depend on you.
"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. "
"But the Syrians fled before Israel. David killed seven thousand of their chariot fighters and forty thousand foot soldiers, and he also killed Shophach, the army commander."
I don't ask you to celebrate violence, even when history records it plainly - what matters is recognising how one nation's fear and pride escalated into enormous loss of life, and choosing peace whenever you have the chance to.
"And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more. "
"When Hadarezer's allies saw they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. After that, the Syrians refused to help the Ammonites again."
Think about the long-term cost of choosing pride and suspicion over trust and goodwill - what seems like self-protection in the moment can end up leaving you far more exposed than simply extending good faith.