The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 191
SECT. CXCI.
AS David had thus ſhewed himſelf kind to Jonathan's Son, ſo he was alſo ready to ſhew kindneſs to any others who had been kind to him; a particular inſtance whereof we have in this Chapter, Nahaſh the King of Ammon had (it ſeems) ſhewed David ſome kindneſs; poſſibly when he fled from Achiſh King of Gath, he had entertain'd and protected him, though (as 'tis like) not ſo much out of love to David, as hatred to Saul, who had given him a great defeat before Jabeſh-Gilead, 1 Sam. 11. But whatever the particular kindneſs was, Nahaſh now dying, and Hanun his Son ſucceeding him, David ſent his Ambaſſadours to this new King to condole with him for the death of his Father. The Princes and Courtiers of Hanun begin to be full of jealouſies upon this, and ſtrangely miſinterpret this kindneſs of David, and judg it to be only counterfeit: What (ſay they to Hanun) doſt thou think that David by this Ambaſſie intends to honour thy Father? Never imagin that he really intends any ſuch thing; undoubtedly he hath ſent theſe men as ſpies to ſearch and obſerve our Country, and to diſcover ſome advantages for the conquering of it, that he may ſerve us as he hath done other Nations. Beſides, we have heard that by their Law they are forbidden to ſeek our proſperity all their days; and therefore what reaſon have we to truſt them? Thus ſome Politicians think themſelves moſt wiſe when they are moſt ſuſpicious, but ſuch wiſdom often proveth meer folly, and bringeth upon men thoſe very evils which they ſo unreaſonably feared. Hanun like a young fooliſh King hearkens preſently to the raſh counſel of theſe unadviſed Courtiers, and inſtead of kindly entertaining David's Ambaſſadours (as he ought to have done) he reſolves to put all indignities upon them, and to expoſe them to the deriſion and ſcorn of every one that ſhould ſee them, and according firſt cauſes one half of their beards to be ſhaved off, partly to deform and diſgrace them, and partly to put a ſcorn on their Religion, the Jews being by the Law forbidden, even in their greateſt mournings to cut or ſhave their beards, Levit. 19.27. In regard to which Law the Iſraelites (it ſeems) forbare to ſhave their beards at all. 2ly, Whereas in thoſe Countries they uſed to wear long looſe garments, not only for ornament and comelineſs, but alſo to hide their nakedneſs, and keep their uncomely parts from open view, Hanun cauſed their garments to be cut off at the middle, (even to the buttocks) that thoſe parts which nature it ſelf teacheth men to hide, might lye open to their ſhame, herein alſo croſſing the Law of God which ſo carefully provided that ſuch nakedneſs might not be diſcovered, ſee Exod. 20.26. Exod. 28.41, 42. So that the Ammonites in thus maliciouſly and deſpitefully abuſing theſe Ambaſſadours, offended againſt the Law of God, of Nature, and of Nations, and thereby deſerved moſt ſevere puniſhment. David being informed of theſe inſufferable injuries done to his Ambaſſadours, he ſent ſome of his ſervants to meet them, and to comfort them, and to cloth them anew, and appointed them to ſtay by the way at Jericho (a)That is in ſome cottage or private houſe ſet up in or near the place where Jericho once ſtood. For it was not rebuilt till the days of Ahab, 1 King. 16.24. and the more obſcure the place was, the fitter it was for them to ſtay in till their beards were grown again., till their beards were grown, and then to return to him. The children of Ammon (who were deſcended of Lots Inceſt with his younger daughter, as the Moabites were of his Inceſt with the Elder) began now to be ſenſible that by this abominable abuſe of theſe Ambaſſadours, they had made themſelves ſo odious to David, that he would certainly ſeek to be revenged on them, and therefore they thought it needful to make all poſſible preparations againſt him; and accordingly they hired with a thouſand talents of ſilver the Syrians of Bethrehob (a City at the foot of Libanus) and the Syrians of Zoba (a City lying between Damaſcus and Euphrates) and the people of the King of Maacha another part of Syria near Gilead Trachonitis, and the people of Iſhtob where Jephtah dwelt, Judg. 11.3. and ſome alſo of the Syrians of Meſopotamia (b)Call'd in the Hebrew Aram Naharaim. This was the place from whence Iſaac had his wife, Gen. 24.10. and the Country out of which God call'd Abraham, Act. 7.2 and therefore the Iſraelites were to acknowledg that a Syrian was their Father, Deut. 26., in all thirty three thouſand, whereof ſome rode and fought in Chariots, and the reſt were Footmen, who were all ready enough to engage in this war againſt David, that thereby they might deliver themſelves from the yoke which he had lately put upon their necks, and revenge themſelves on him. David hearing of theſe vaſt preparations againſt him, thought it beſt policy to be beforehand with them, and accordingly ſent Joab with a great hoſt to invade them, and to make their Country the ſeat of the war. The Iſraelites drawing nigh unto them, the Ammonites put themſelves in battel array before their City Medba, that if they were beaten they might retreat into it; and they cauſed the Syrians and their Auxiliaries to put themſelves in battel array in the fields, that ſo they might hem in the Iſraelites, and engage them both in front and rear. Joab ſeeing this, he thought with himſelf that the Syrians being Mercenaries were not like to ſtand to it if couragiouſly aſſaulted, and if they were once beaten, the Ammonites would quickly be put to flight; wherefore he choſe the flower of his Army, (whom he himſelf led) to ſet upon the Syrians, and the reſt he put under the command of his Brother Abiſhai, with them to engage the Ammonites, telling his Brother that if the Syrians were too hard for him he ſhould come and help him, and if the Ammonites were too hard for him, he would accordingly come and help him. And then he ſpake to his Souldiers after this manner, Let us be of good courage fellow-ſouldiers, and play the men for our people, and for the Cities of our God, and then let the Lord do that which ſeemeth him good. Joab accordingly drew up his forces againſt the Syrians, and they ſoon fled before him, which when the children of Ammon ſaw, they fled alſo before Abiſhai, and retreated into the City. Joab having now obtained a great victory, yet did not think it fit at preſent to purſue it any further; poſſibly the ſeaſon of the year was not then fit for the keeping of the field any longer, and ſo he returned triumphantly to Jeruſalem.
The Syrians being thus ſhamefully beaten by the Iſraelites, and having no hope that David would ever make peace with them, they having rebelled and join'd with the Ammonites againſt him, they gathered themſelves together and recruited their Army, reſolving there was no way for them but to ſtand it out, and to do their utmoſt to ſhake off his yoke. Hadadezer accordingly ſent out his Agents and hired the Syrians that inhabited beyond Euphrates, and they marched to Helam (a)A place no where elſe mentioned in holy Scripture but here.a Town (as it ſeems) not far from Jordan, and Shobach was the General of this Army. David hearing of it, muſtered a great Army out of Iſrael, and paſſing over Jordan fought them at Helam, and totally vanquiſhed them. He ſlew ſeven thouſand (b)Ten men fought in every Chariot, which makes up the number of ſeven thouſand, mentioned 1 Chron. 19.18.men which fought in Chariots; and beſides theſe, the greateſt part of the Army both Horſe and Foot, to the number of about forty thouſand (c)2 Sam. 10.18. 'tis ſaid he ſlew forty thouſand Horſemen, and 1 Chron. 19.18. 'tis ſaid he ſlew forty thouſand Footmen, that is, ſo many men, horſe and foot being mingled together.. And when all the Kings and Princes that were ſubject to Hadadezer, and which were engaged with him in this war ſaw how they were beaten by David, they ſought and made peace with him, and came under his protection, and paid him tribute, and they were afraid to aſſiſt the Ammonites any more.
2 Sam. Ch. 10. whole Chapter.
1 Chron. Ch. 19. whole Chapter.