Pam Padgett ... teacher
Nahash, king of Ammon, had a son named Hanun. When Nahash died, David
set out to show kindness and comfort to Hanun. David sent messengers to
comfort Hanun, but the princes of Ammon spoke evil against
David's motives in sending the messengers ...
1 Chronicles 19:1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the
king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead. 2
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. 3 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?
Hanun accepted the counsel of the princes and treated David's servants shamefully before sending them away ...
1 Chronicles 19:4 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. 5 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.
After doing this, Hanun feared that David would come against them, and
hired others to help come against David. But, even though Hanun had
dealt in such an evil way toward him, David did not come
against them until Ammon came for battle.
1 Chronicles 19:6 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. 7 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. 8
And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the
mighty men. 9 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.
As Israel prepared for the battle against Ammon and the Syrians who had come to help them, Joab said 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. (1 Chronicles 19:13)
The Ammons and Syrians fled before the armies of Israel ...
14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the
Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him. 15 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.
Nahash had done that which was good in the sight of God by showing kindness to David. But his son, Hanun, turned to and listened to counsel from evil men and did not see the kindness David showed to him. By trusting in, and following, those around him, Hanun went in a way of destruction.
As I read this, I was reminded of ...
Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
We sometimes extend kindness toward someone and they lash out at us
unexpectedly, hurting us. Although our flesh wants to retaliate, we
are to keep our flesh from ruling and deal in spiritual ways, turning to God, committing the situation to Him, and seeking His
wisdom in what to do.
1 Thess. 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man;
but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and
to all men.
There are also times when someone shows kindness or deals well toward
us, and evildoers come trying to stir us up against the person. We are
warned to not go in the way of the wicked and evil, but to stay in the path of the just. We can do this by turning to God and trusting Him to keep us according to truth in the matter ...
Proverbs 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in
the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and
pass away. 16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and
their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17 For they
eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.