Establishing Justice

In response to the Ammonites’ affront to his diplomats, David sends Joab and his army to attack Ammon. When the Ammonites get word of that, they see that they have “made themselves repulsive to David.” They also see that they are badly outnumbered, so they hire thirty-three thousand soldiers from four Syrian, or Aramean, states, including Zobah, which was previously defeated (8:3). Thus, when Joab marches into Ammon, he finds not one army but two. So he divides his forces, taking the best troops himself in order to deal with the Syrians, and putting the rest of his men under the command of his brother Abishai, who will take on the Ammonites. Under (Joab’s plan, the two divisions will reinforce one another as necessary.

Joab then makes some significant comments to his armies. He first urges his men to be courageous, not so as to win fame and spoil, but “for our people and for the cities of our God.” In other words, he wants the Israelites to fight for love of their brethren and Yahweh. Then he acknowledges that the battle is God’s and that He controls the outcome. This sort of talk is most unlike the oh-so-macho Joab, but his words are filled with wisdom and truth.

God’s will for this battle soon becomes clear. The Syrians lose their nerve and flee as Joab’s force approaches. Seeing that, the Ammonites do the same, retreating to “the city,” probably their capital, Rabbah. Joab now can lay siege to the city, but apparently he is unprepared to do that, for he turns and marches home to Jerusalem. But the matter is not fully settled. The Syrians, apparently led by the previously defeated Hadadezer (8:3–8), now rise up against David. So David takes personal command of the armies of Israel, crosses the Jordan, and defeats the Syrians once again. With that, all of Hadadezer’s vassal kings also submit to Israel. Thus, the Syrians’ rebellion simply leads to even more states paying tribute to David. Also, the Syrians abandon any thought of helping Ammon, so it, too, is subdued.

Through this incident, Matthew Henry writes, “David advances his own reputation for gratitude, in returning kindness, and for justice, in repaying injuries.” Indeed, David’s conduct as king of Israel is exemplary in this and the previous chapters. But his sinful side will reassert itself very soon, as we will see in next month’s studies.