1 Chronicles 19 3

1 Chronicles 19:3 kjv

But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honor 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?

1 Chronicles 19:3 nkjv

And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun, "Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?"

1 Chronicles 19:3 niv

the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven't his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?"

1 Chronicles 19:3 esv

But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, "Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?"

1 Chronicles 19:3 nlt

the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, "Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the land so they can come in and conquer it!"

1 Chronicles 19 verses

1 Chronicles 19 3 Meaning

The verse describes the deceptive counsel given to King Hanun of Ammon by his princes regarding King David's embassy. These advisors wrongly suggested that David's gesture of sending messengers to offer comfort for his father Nahash's death was not an act of honor or condolence. Instead, they convinced Hanun that David's true intention was to covertly dispatch spies to investigate and map the city, with the ultimate goal of overthrowing it. This malicious misinterpretation sowed seeds of distrust and led directly to hostile actions against David's envoys, precipitating a war.

1 Chronicles 19 3 Context

1 Chronicles 19 begins with David's decision to show kindness to Hanun, the newly crowned king of the Ammonites, following the death of Hanun's father, Nahash. This act was in remembrance of an unspecified kindness Nahash had shown to David in the past. It was a diplomatic gesture of respect and condolence common in ancient Near Eastern royalty, aimed at fostering peaceful relations. However, the verse itself pivots the narrative into conflict. Hanun's advisors, likely driven by deeply ingrained nationalistic suspicion and perhaps fear of David's expanding kingdom, twisted this benevolent act. They convinced their king that David's embassy was not a peace mission but a calculated act of espionage. This false counsel led Hanun to severely humiliate David's messengers, effectively declaring war and marking a significant turning point in the relationship between Israel and Ammon, leading to several major military campaigns. The historical context includes centuries of rivalry between Israel and Ammon, making such suspicions understandable, albeit unfounded in this particular instance.

1 Chronicles 19 3 Word analysis

• "But the princes": Hebrew śā·rê (שָׂרֵי), meaning chiefs, leaders, or officials. These were not mere courtiers but influential figures whose counsel carried significant weight, highlighting that the deceit originated from powerful members of Hanun's court.
• "of the Ammonites": The Ammonites were descendants of Ben-Ammi, son of Lot (Gen 19:38). They were historic antagonists of Israel (Judg 3:13; 1 Sam 11:1), often characterized by their hostility and deceit, reinforced in Deuteronomic law (Deut 23:3-6).
• "said to Hanun": Hanun, the king, was vulnerable and susceptible to the negative influence of his advisors, lacking the wisdom or discernment to see David's genuine intentions. This highlights a failure of leadership judgment.
• "Do you think that David is honoring your father": This is a rhetorical question designed to cast immediate doubt and undermine Hanun's initial perception. The Hebrew for "honoring" is from kābêd (כָּבֵד), which means to be heavy, significant, or weighty, conveying deep respect. The princes scoff at the idea of David genuinely valuing Nahash.
• "because he has sent comforters to you?": Hebrew menaḥamim (מְנַחֲמִים), meaning consolers or those who bring solace. The visible, diplomatic act is presented as the proof that could be interpreted as honor, which the princes immediately challenge as insufficient or a smokescreen.
• "Has David not sent his servants to you": Another rhetorical question, now offering an alternative, sinister interpretation. The "servants" were legitimate messengers, but they are recast as covert agents.
• "to search the city": Hebrew laḥqor (לַחְקֹר), meaning to investigate, explore, or spy out, often in an inquisitive or prying sense. This suggests intelligence gathering.
• "and to spy it out": Hebrew leraggelah (לְרַגְלָהּ), literally "to foot it," i.e., to scout or act as a spy. This is a more explicit term for espionage, implying gathering sensitive military intelligence.
• "and to overthrow it?": Hebrew ûlehāfekhāh (וּלְהָפְכָהּ), meaning to overturn, destroy, or ruin. This is the ultimate malicious intent attributed to David, transforming a peaceful visit into a prelude to war and conquest.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun": This establishes the source of the misinformation – influential, possibly fear-driven advisors from a nation with a history of antagonism towards Israel. Their words effectively manipulated a naive young king.
• "Do you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent comforters to you?": This phrase cleverly uses a rhetorical question to introduce immediate suspicion about David's true intentions, dismissing a standard act of goodwill as improbable.
• "Has David not sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?": This entire question presents a counter-narrative, painting David's gesture as a sinister plot involving espionage and ultimately, conquest. The sequence of "search," "spy," and "overthrow" represents a clear escalation, building a persuasive (though false) argument for malicious intent. It is an act of deliberate defamation and incitement.

1 Chronicles 19 3 Bonus section

The account in 1 Chronicles 19:3 is a near verbatim parallel to 2 Samuel 10:3. While both narrate the same event, the Chronicler's emphasis often highlights God's role in the unfolding events and David's righteous conduct. In this instance, the Chronicler prominently features the Ammonite princes' manipulative words, showcasing the source of Hanun's misguided actions and providing context for the subsequent war as a direct consequence of this false accusation and diplomatic humiliation rather than a spontaneous act of aggression by David. This specific interaction underscores the importance of wise counsel versus deceptive influence, a recurrent theme in wisdom literature. It also indirectly upholds David's character by emphasizing that his benevolent intentions were wickedly misinterpreted, justifying Israel's eventual military response as a defensive act against an unprovoked insult and hostile intent born of slander.

1 Chronicles 19 3 Commentary

1 Chronicles 19:3 is a pivotal verse, illustrating how mistrust and deceptive counsel can transform an act of genuine kindness into an occasion for war. David's intention was pure – an expression of chesed (steadfast love/kindness), remembering a past connection with Nahash, even though Nahash was an enemy of Israel and Saul. This desire to extend peace was a mark of David's righteous character, contrasting with typical ancient Near Eastern statecraft that often exploited moments of transition or weakness.

However, the Ammonite princes, steeped in a history of animosity and perhaps viewing David through the lens of their own aggressive intentions, could not fathom true benevolence. They interpreted David's diplomatic overture through a filter of suspicion and cynicism. Their "advice" was not based on facts but on an assumed malevolence, turning David's honorable gesture of condolence into a military ruse. Hanun's grave error lay in succumbing to this counsel, reflecting a leader who was either fearful, foolish, or both. The accusation that David was sending "spies" rather than "comforters" directly reflects the princes projecting their own potential machinations onto their adversary. This demonstrates the destructive power of suspicion and how human deceit, fueled by envy or fear, can lead to severe conflict and tragic consequences for all involved, ultimately forcing David to engage in war.