1 Chronicles 19:16 kjv
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.
1 Chronicles 19:16 nkjv
Now when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought the Syrians who were beyond the River, and Shophach the commander of Hadadezer's army went before them.
1 Chronicles 19:16 niv
After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer's army leading them.
1 Chronicles 19:16 esv
But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head.
1 Chronicles 19:16 nlt
The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel, so they sent messengers and summoned additional Aramean troops from the other side of the Euphrates River. These troops were under the command of Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer's forces.
1 Chronicles 19 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 10:16 | So Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River... | Direct parallel account of the same event. |
| 2 Sam 10:17 | When David was told, he gathered all Israel, and passed over the Jordan... | David's counter-response to the Syrian mobilization. |
| 1 Chr 19:6-7 | The Ammonites hired Syrians from Beth-rehob, Zobah... | Earlier part of the war, initial Syrian involvement. |
| 1 Chr 19:15 | When the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they also fled... | The immediate context: Syrian defeat previous to v.16. |
| Gen 15:18 | From the River of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates... | God's promise of territory reaching the Euphrates. |
| Deut 1:7 | Go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all their neighbors... as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. | Reiteration of the promised land's extent. |
| Josh 1:4 | From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates... | Reinforces the boundaries of Israel's inheritance. |
| 2 Sam 8:3-8 | David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah... | David's earlier victories against Hadadezer, building up to this conflict. |
| 1 Chr 18:3-8 | David also defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, as far as Hamath... | Chronicles' account of earlier Hadadezer defeats. |
| 1 Kgs 4:21 | Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. | Fulfillment of the wide dominion, established through David's conquests. |
| 2 Kgs 5:6 | Come now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel... to the king of Aram. | Later interactions and rivalry between Israel and Aram. |
| Ps 20:7-8 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. | Implicit contrast: Syrians relying on larger armies vs. Israel's trust. |
| Deut 20:1 | When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you... | God's assurance in the face of numerically superior enemies. |
| Ps 3:6 | I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. | A declaration of trust despite facing numerous adversaries. |
| Rom 8:31 | What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? | Theological principle: God's favor makes human opposition ultimately futile. |
| 1 Chr 19:13 | Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight. | Joab's exhortation to trust God amidst battle, contextualizing Israel's mindset. |
| 1 Sam 17:47 | ...that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands. | The ultimate source of victory is the Lord, not military might. |
| Is 8:7 | ...therefore the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many... | "The River" (Euphrates) and its association with powerful, invading forces (Assyria, also from "beyond the River"). |
| Amos 1:5 | I will break the gate bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of Aven... and the people of Aram shall go into captivity to Kir, says the Lord. | God's ultimate judgment against Aram/Syria. |
| Ez 23:23 | Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them... | Refers to Mesopotamian peoples from "beyond the River." |
| Rev 9:14 | Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. | Prophetic future references to events involving the Euphrates, often related to large forces. |
| Zech 10:10 | I will bring them back from the land of Egypt and gather them from Assyria; and I will bring them to the land of Gilead and Lebanon... | Remnant gathering, mentions Assyria which is "beyond the River." |
1 Chronicles 19 verses
1 Chronicles 19 16 Meaning
This verse describes the response of the Arameans (Syrians) after their initial defeat by the Israelite army. Recognizing their setback, they regrouped their forces, sending for a larger contingent from beyond the Euphrates River, who were under the command of Shophach, the chief commander of King Hadadezer's army. This action signifies an escalation of the conflict and the determination of the Arameans to confront David's expanding kingdom with a stronger, consolidated force.
1 Chronicles 19 16 Context
First Chronicles 19 narrates a significant episode in David's reign: the war with Ammon and Syria. It begins with David extending kindness to Hanun, the new king of Ammon, whose father had shown David kindness. However, Hanun's advisors misled him into humiliating David's messengers, treating their gesture as an act of espionage. This profound insult triggered a full-scale war. The Ammonites, recognizing David's military strength, hired mercenary forces from various Aramean (Syrian) kingdoms. Joab, David's military commander, split his forces, effectively defeating the Ammonites and their allied Syrians in an initial engagement (v. 7-15). Verse 16 describes the immediate consequence of this defeat: the defeated Arameans do not retreat permanently but rather consolidate their strength. They summon reinforcements from "beyond the River" (the Euphrates), indicating the wide reach and influence of King Hadadezer of Zobah, who sought to challenge Israel's rising regional dominance. This re-mobilization sets the stage for a more substantial and climactic battle described in the subsequent verses.
1 Chronicles 19 16 Word analysis
- When the Syrians (Heb. הַיְמָּקִית, Ha'arammim): Refers to the Aramaeans, inhabitants of the region of Aram (modern Syria) and beyond. They were Semitic people, descendants of Aram, son of Shem (Gen 10:22-23), often adversaries of Israel throughout biblical history.
- saw that they had been defeated (Heb. רָאוּ כִּי נִגְּפוּ, ra'u ki nigphu): Nigphu comes from the root נָגַף (nagaph), meaning "to strike," "to smite," or "to defeat." It signifies a clear, decisive military rout or plague. The realization of defeat spurs their reaction.
- by Israel (Heb. לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, liphnei Yisrael): Literally "before Israel," signifying "at the hands of" or "by" Israel. This highlights Israel as the victorious party.
- they sent messengers (Heb. וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ מַלְאָכִים, va'yishlechu mal'akhim): Indicates strategic action and diplomatic engagement to call for aid, showing their determined will to fight again.
- and brought out the Syrians (Heb. וַיּוֹצִאוּ אֶת־אֲרַם, va'yotziu et Aram): This active verb ("brought out," "mobilized") suggests the mustering of a larger and more organized force, not merely local recruits.
- who were beyond the River (Heb. אֲשֶׁר מֵעֵבֶר לַנָּהָר, asher me'ever lanahar): This is a crucial geographical and political indicator. "The River" (הַנָּהָר, ha-Nahar) almost invariably refers to the Euphrates, defining the region known as Aram-Naharaim or Mesopotamia. Bringing forces from "beyond the River" indicates a deeper and broader pool of troops, potentially more powerful contingents under Hadadezer's direct influence, far beyond those initially hired. It points to a large, formidable enemy from the heartland of Aramean power.
- with Shophach (Heb. וְשׁוֹבַךְ, ve'Shovakh): (Also transliterated as Shobach in 2 Sam 10:16). He is identified as a specific, significant commander, indicating a formal, high-level military re-engagement rather than a simple counter-attack.
- the commander of the army of Hadadezer (Heb. שַׂר־צְבָא הֲדַדְעֶזֶר, sar tzeva Hadad'ezer): Sar tzeva means "commander of the army" or "chief of staff." Hadadezer was the powerful king of Zobah, a major Aramean kingdom. This emphasizes that the subsequent battle would be against the primary forces of Israel's most formidable northern rival at the time, indicating the serious nature of the threat.
1 Chronicles 19 16 Bonus section
The "River" (Euphrates) holds significant prophetic and historical importance within the biblical narrative. Its identification as the boundary for the promised land (Gen 15:18, Deut 1:7) positions David's military campaigns against Hadadezer, whose reach extended to this region, as an active fulfillment of God's covenant promises to Abraham regarding the extent of Israel's territory. The Chronist's emphasis on this major re-mobilization from beyond the Euphrates highlights not only the strength of Israel's enemies but also sets the scene for David's decisive victory, portraying it as a divinely aided achievement critical for establishing the secure, expanded kingdom under God's blessing. This context also implicitly reinforces the chronicler's theme of God's faithfulness in enabling Israel to possess their inheritance despite formidable opposition.
1 Chronicles 19 16 Commentary
This verse serves as a turning point in the chronicler's account of the war, revealing the formidable resilience and expanded might of Israel's adversaries. The initial defeat of the Syrians did not result in their retreat but rather provoked a deeper resolve and a far greater mobilization of their resources. By calling forces from "beyond the River"—that is, from the wider Mesopotamian region—Hadadezer demonstrated the extent of his influence and his determination to decisively crush David's expanding kingdom. The arrival of Shophach, Hadadezer's chief military commander, underscores that this was no mere rearguard action but a concentrated effort by the heart of the Aramean power, aimed at reasserting regional dominance. This intensified challenge highlights the immense faith and military prowess required of David and Israel, setting the stage for a divinely ordained victory that would cement Israel's regional supremacy and expand the boundaries of the promised land.