1 Chronicles 20 1

1 Chronicles 20:1 kjv

And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it.

1 Chronicles 20:1 nkjv

It happened in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the armed forces and ravaged the country of the people of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. And Joab defeated Rabbah and overthrew it.

1 Chronicles 20:1 niv

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins.

1 Chronicles 20:1 esv

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army and ravaged the country of the Ammonites and came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. And Joab struck down Rabbah and overthrew it.

1 Chronicles 20:1 nlt

In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, Joab led the Israelite army in successful attacks against the land of the Ammonites. In the process he laid siege to the city of Rabbah, attacking and destroying it. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 20 verses

1 Chronicles 20 1 Meaning

1 Chronicles 20:1 describes a typical seasonal beginning for military campaigns. It recounts how Joab, David's commander, led the Israelite army to conquer the Ammonite territory, ultimately besieging their capital city, Rabbah. However, it pointedly notes that King David himself did not join his army in the field but remained in Jerusalem, an unusual departure from the expected royal duty of leading battles during such times.

1 Chronicles 20 1 Context

1 Chronicles 20:1 initiates a section detailing David's successful military campaigns, specifically against the Ammonites. This verse immediately follows the description of the conflict with Ammon in 1 Chronicles 19, which escalated due to Ammonite disrespect towards David's envoys. The "spring of the year" was the customary time for kings to lead armies into battle, following the rainy season when movement was easier and provisions more abundant. This setting establishes an expectation that David, as king, would be present.

The most significant contextual point lies in comparison to its parallel in 2 Samuel 11:1. While 2 Samuel describes David's grave sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah during this very period of staying home, 1 Chronicles conspicuously omits these details. The Chronicler, writing for a post-exilic audience, aimed to portray David (and Israel's kings) more positively, emphasizing their roles in religious life and Temple preparation, and underscoring God's faithfulness to the Davidic covenant despite human failings. Thus, David's remaining in Jerusalem in 1 Chronicles 20:1 serves as a silent point of departure from his customary kingly duty, setting the scene for Joab's military achievements rather than David's personal failure. It frames the military victory, not David's transgression, as the focus.

1 Chronicles 20 1 Word analysis

• In the spring of the year (תְּשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה, teshuvath hashanah): Literally, "the return of the year." This idiom designates the season following winter, typically March or April, when the weather cleared, rivers subsided, and ground became passable, making it ideal for military campaigns. It signals an expected time of action.
• at the time when kings go out to battle (לְעֵת צֵאת הַמְּלָכִים, le'et tze't hamelakhim): This phrase further specifies the season's purpose, highlighting the widespread custom and expectation for kings to personally lead their armies into conflict. It underlines royal duty and leadership by example.
• Joab (יוֹאָב, Yo'av): David's nephew and his loyal, often ruthless, commander-in-chief. His consistent leadership in battle demonstrates his effectiveness and David's reliance on him for military endeavors.
• led out the army (הוֹצִיא אֶת כֹּחַ הַצָּבָא, hotzi et koach hatzava - literally, "brought out the strength of the army"): Indicates that Joab mustered and deployed the full might of Israel's military force for the campaign, emphasizing his operational authority and responsibility.
• ravaged the country (וַיַּשְׁחֵת אֶת אֶרֶץ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן, vayyashcheth et eretz benei Ammon - "he destroyed/ruined the land of the sons of Ammon"): Describes the aggressive tactics used in ancient warfare, aimed at devastating enemy resources and weakening their ability to resist.
• people of Ammon (בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן, b'nei Ammon - "sons of Ammon"): The Ammonites, a nation descended from Lot (Gen 19:38), were long-standing adversaries of Israel. This war was the culmination of previous tensions (1 Chr 19).
• came and besieged Rabbah (וַיָּבֹא וַיָּצַר עַל רַבָּה, vayyavo vayyatzar al Rabbah): "Rabbah" (רַבָּה, Rabbah) was the heavily fortified capital city of the Ammonites, indicating a major military objective requiring sustained effort.
• But David remained at Jerusalem (וְדָוִיד יָשַׁב בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, v'David yashav birushalayim - "and David sat in Jerusalem"): This contrasting statement is pivotal. While Joab performed his duty, David, the king, opted out of his. The word "remained" or "sat" conveys inactivity and comfort, sharply contrasting with the expected rigorous engagement of a king during wartime. This simple declarative statement, stripped of the negative context found in 2 Samuel, subtly highlights David's deviation from his expected role without explicitly condemning it within the Chronicler's narrative.

1 Chronicles 20 1 Bonus section

The narrative choice of 1 Chronicles 20:1 illustrates the distinct literary and theological purposes of the Old Testament historical books. While 2 Samuel recounts the fallibility of kings even after God's favor, portraying the deep consequences of personal sin on the family and kingdom, the Chronicler focuses on a different lesson. The silence regarding David's transgression in Chronicles serves to uphold the Davidic covenant and the ideal of a righteous king, which was crucial for the returning exiles to draw hope and guidance for rebuilding their spiritual and national identity. It is a narrative of God's enduring faithfulness to His promises despite the imperfect vessels of human leadership. This verse, by subtly noting David's inaction, offers a teaching on leadership presence and stewardship without needing to delve into the explicit details of the failure it implicitly led to in 2 Samuel.

1 Chronicles 20 1 Commentary

1 Chronicles 20:1 provides a concise setting for a pivotal military campaign during David's reign. The opening clause, "In the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle," establishes a customary royal expectation, only to starkly juxtapose it with David's actions: "But David remained at Jerusalem." This verse highlights Joab's decisive leadership in fulfilling the kingdom's military responsibilities, successfully leading the army, devastating the Ammonite countryside, and laying siege to Rabbah. The Chronicler's narrative choice to focus on Joab's action and David's mere presence in Jerusalem, omitting the scandalous details of David's sin that occurred during this very time in 2 Samuel, is central to his theological purpose. He endeavors to present a favorable account of David's reign, emphasizing the preparation for the Temple and the establishment of God's worship, providing encouragement and continuity for the post-exilic community. Thus, the verse praises the military success and continuity of God's plan through Joab's generalship, while passing over in silence the monarch's personal moral lapse. It implicitly stresses the importance of duty, and the quiet observation of David's remaining home serves as a subtle, powerful indication of an unfulfilled responsibility.