I Chronicles Chapter 20
Please read: I Chronicles 20 –
The battle with the Ammonites that we read about in the previous chapter was not completely over, but weather had interfered stopping Israel’s army from finishing what was started. In the spring Joab led the army back to the attack on the Ammonites. This was a war that took months. We know this because there was an incident that happened back in Jerusalem that we read about in the book of Samuel. The chronicler chose not to include the sorted story. But David had not gone with the army, and we know what happened from reading the account in II Samuel 11.
Joab had been successful in battle against the Ammonites but called David to come finish the efforts and claim the glory for himself.
II Samuel 12:26-28 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. Now then gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called by my name.”
Let's Reflect
1. What phrase tells us that it was not common to go to war during the winter months?
2. There was a great amount of spoil from the war including one important piece. What was that?
3. What did David do to the surviving Ammonites?
4. The chronicler also tells of other battles that Israel had yet to fight. The Philistines seemed to never give up. We learn that amongst their numbers were giants. David had famously killed one of these giants when he was just a young boy, but Goliath had surviving family. What was Goliath’s brother’s name that was killed in this attack?
5. It was David’s nephew Jonathan that killed another giant. What was peculiar about that giant?
6. The last verse seems to refer to numbers of giants. Where did the giants come from according to this verse?
Devotionals
