The National tribune., 1896-07-30

time Nahash had been friendly ana heipIui 10
him. Verse says that Nahash had SHOWN
him Kindness. and David was anxious to make
some return for such favor. He was not prob
ably situated so as to return the kindness dur
ing the life of Nahash, and SO he determine
to do some favors TOR the son OF Nahash,
Hanun, WHO had succeeded to the Ammonite
throne. So he sent a delegation of representa-
tive men to Hanun to express respect, and
to win favorable national relations. But their
visit was misinterpreted. They were looked
on as spies, and treated with great contempt.
JoAB VERSUS AMMoNITEs.
Data.
Sa.. 10: 6 to Ia inclusive and l Chr, 10:
6 to IS inclusive 1t will be profitable to COM
pare the two accounts.
References.
Verse g. Stank. Gen., 81 30; Ex., s.:
/ Sam, 1894; 81 12 ! Chr. 1876
Syrians of Bcth-rehob. 2 Sam, 8:3.
Syrians of Zoba. 2 Sam, 81 5, 12; Chr,
1873.
Maacab. JOS, 10: 1913.
Tob. Jud., II 3D. 5.
Verse;. Mighty men. 9 SAM, 1878; Chr,
Verse 8. Rehob. v 6; Nu., 10 :2l JOSH,
1928; Jud., ! 81.
Verse 9. Joab between the lines of the ene-
N.Y. JOSH. 8 22; judi, 20: AZ, 43; Chr, ID:
13, IA
Verse IL. If the syrians be too strong.
Chr. 49, ~
Thou help me. Ro.. 1871; Gal. 6:2.
Verse IL Be of good courage. Nu., 10: 20;
Den., 81 e; JOS, g. z, .. 10; sam II: 80;
Chr Z; Neh.. 4: Ia; Phil, LEI, %.
Play the men. Sam, %; Chr, 10 10;
1 Cor 16 13.
Lord do that which seemeth him good. Jud.,
10: 10; 1 Sam, 3: 1s Also, Sam, 4:6, IL;
Neh., 4:20; Heb. 1876.
Verse IL. Syrians fled. l Ki 20 13, IA,
1921, % 30; Chr, 10: IA, Is. Also, Prov,
IS 8; Isa, SO, TO-
Places
The Ammonites lived east of the Jordan,
about opposite Samaria, south of lshtob, north
of the Moabites, corresponding with the terri.
tories of the tribes OF Cad and Reuben.
The scene of the battle Medeba, in the
| tribe of Reuben, Il Che, 1870 seven miles
north of Heshbon, ID miles from Dead Sea. 1t
has still its old name. though at times spelled
Medaba. The ruins are still seen. about one
and one half miles in circuit. covering round
| hill. Josephus locates at Rabbah.
Beth-rehob. In tribe of Asher, northeast Of
Tyre. in Lower Galilee, the capital of the
region between Lebanon and Anti Lebanon.
Zoba. Also written Zobah. / Chr. 6: 3.
| Bounded on east by the Euphrates. Ruled by
Hadadezer Between the Kingdom of Syria
(Damascus) and the Kingdom of Ishtob. East
Kingdom Of King Maacah. Some render,
A." of the King of Maassah." The Revised Version
has this translation. sMaacah was probably not
the name of the King but Of kingdom, or
district. / Chron., 49, 6. has Syria maacah.
Same as Aram- maacaha Also Maachathi. Deu..
/ 3 Ia. In tribe Of }lanasseh, east OF the Jor-
| dan. sst I'd
Ish-tob. East of the Jordan. Ish is Hebrew,
and means sHen hence, men Of lob Fob
means good (Hsbrew, tob.) Thither Iephthah
fled when hated by his brothers. Jnd.. ii 3.
He fed to the good land, Toh DR.. Cassel. OF
Berlin, approved by DIR. Steenstra. Cambridge,
| Mass, holds we to understand. The Hauran,
still the favorite region of Bcdouin tribes, 40 to
so miles east of the Sea of Galilee. Jameson
puts Ishtob between Zobah and the country OF
| the Ammonites.
We date the battle, A. M. 1867, or 1887 B. c..
The Opponents.
On the one side were the Ammonites. Their
number is not stated. They were mainly in
and about the City of Medeba, the scene of the
battle.
syrans from Rehob and Zoba amounted to
| 90 600 footmen.
| Maacah sent ! 900 men.
The men Of lob numbered 1900. Besides
the Ammonites there were therefore 49, DOC
soldiers. These were the forces attacked by
Joab. His brother engaged the attention OF
the Ammonites
We do not learn how many men were com.
manded by JOab.
We see the need of reading all accounts bear.
ing OF any Bible incident. BY omparing the
two records-that of Samuel and that of
] Cbronicles-ther is call for study, rs to such
Interpretation as harmoniZes both accounts
Samuel mentions the $4,000 footmen, but
Chron icles says 81 600 chario.s and the forces OIL
Nlaacah. No mention is made in the latter
account of the number from Maacah. But the
word, translated chariots Hebrew, rakeb). il
often rendered. riders. Such men mt time:
fought afoot. With this understanding. the
two reports agree.
The Ammonites were related to the Israel
ties, having descended from Lot, the nephew o
Abraham. But they never maintained friendly
relations Between the TWO there were many
conflicts. See, g.. e., Jud, ia Laws wer'
enacted ordering the Israelites to enter into NJ
business, national, or other relations. Deu.
1913.
Even yet military leaders may get suggest
ions in stragetic practice from study of JOab'
arrangement of his forces.
, sJOab was the Lieutenant-General of David
son of Zeruiah, brother of Abishai and Asahe
The enemy must have thought they hat
Joab in their power. He was between til
3 enemies. He divided his forces into two bodies
While his brother engaged the Ammonites h
D attacked the Syrans; faced s., 900 fOotmen-
! skilled soldiers. fought desperately, and wo
t the day. One fact, beyond patriotism to hi
? country and loyalty to his King, inspired hin
the conviction the Lord sided with tn
( Israelitss.
i Definitions
{ /. Stank. We. This is Hebrew metho
of showing the feeling Of utter detestatior
Gen. "a 80. Ammohtes believed that Davi
regarded them odious, offensive obnoxiou
= and abhorrent. Even yef. in our English whe
= we want to say that person is out of favor, "
declare he is in bad odor Christians ar
said to he sweet savorto God. 2Cor., 2: Il
o When Peter became offensive to Christ, Chris
y told him: Thou savorest not (hast not til
y smelly of the things that be Of God" st. Mt
II Is: %. Christians are the salt of the worl,
and Jesus bids Us not TO lose our useful an
charming SAVIOR. ST. Mt, 5:13. This idea
quite prevalent in the Bible. Ex.. 5:19 e,
@ plains " 81 just after aye Moses and Aaror
u have made our SAVIOR tobe abhorred," and hen,
the Israelites were IN evil case, caused by ii
;, i'll treatment of the angered Pharaoh. The idt
of the text is similar to the statement in Sam
- l3: "Israel also was had in Accumulation wit
:. the PhiistiIes." Achish thought the lsrae
q ties had become so to dislike David as to abh'
- him. ! Sam, 81 IL. Chron.. 10: e. explain
a 2Sam. 10: g. Tin our lesson); in the first we rea
;" "Saw they had made themselves odious Ito
hated) to David" is equivalent to tho stat
ment in 2 SAM, 0:6, to the effect they sa
=, they were to David az q disagreeable ode
r. When persons pass each other in contempt thu
- are said ito turn mp their noses" at eat