Dear RTB’ers,
Yesterday I noted that in chapter 8 we saw the height of David’s geographic power to the north as far as Damascus and to the east as far as the Euphrates River. Today’s battle does not dispute that statement. The Ammonites lived to the east of the Jordan River, along with the Moabites. Evidently David (Israel) had been at peace with the leaders of the Ammonites and David’s goodwill gesture (v. 10:2) was rejected by Hanun, their new leader. Essentially Hanun’s aggression against David was a minor uprising with no change to David’s power – except that the Syrians (Arameans) no longer chose to fight against him! According to my Study Bible, “These events represent David’s last major campaign against combined foreign powers.”
David and Bathsheba, the well-known story of David’s adultery. My Study Bible, however, took it one step further, claiming the Daid had broken not only the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14, adultery), but the sixth, ninth and tenth as well (Exodus 20:13, 16, 17 – murder, deception, and covetousness). Today’s closing verse says it all: But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. (v. 11:27b)
Blessings!
Fred