Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 46
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IMMERSE
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CHRONICLES
1C
| 18:9–19:8
and Cun. Later Solomon melted the bronze and molded it into the great
bronze basin called the Sea, the pillars, and the various bronze articles
used at the Temple.
When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire
army of King Hadadezer of Zobah, he sent his son Joram to congratulate
King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of
gold, silver, and bronze.
King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, along with the silver
and gold he had taken from the other nations—from Edom, Moab, Am
mon, Philistia, and Amalek.
Abishai son of Zeruiah destroyed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
He placed army garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s
subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his
people. Joab son of Zerui ah was commander of the army. Jehoshaphat son
of Ahilud was the royal historian. Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech
son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary. Benaiah
son of Jehoiada was captain of the king’s bodyguard. And David’s sons
served as the king’s chief assistants.
Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son
Hanun became king. David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun
because his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent messengers to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.
But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, the Am
monite 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!” So Hanun seized David’s
ambassadors and shaved them, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent
them back to David in shame.
When David heard what had happened to the men, he sent messengers
to tell them, “Stay at Jeric ho until your beards grow out, and then come
back.” For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.
When the people of Ammon realized how seriously they had angered
David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 75,000 pounds of silver to hire
chariots and charioteers from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah.
They also hired 32,000 chariots and secured the support of the king of
Maacah and his army. These forces camped at Medeba, where they were
joined by the Ammonite troops that Hanun had recruited from his own
towns. When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to
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