Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 19:2
And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console Hanun concerning his father. But when David’s servants arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David declares his intention to send messengers to console Hanun following the death of Nahash. This decision occurs some time after the Ammonite succession, not at the moment of death.
The words — חֶסֶד (chesed) denotes loyalty or steadfast kindness, and אֶעֱשֶׂה (eeseh) means “I will do.” David frames his diplomatic gesture as a concrete act of loyalty owed to Hanun for his father’s prior kindness.
The thread — David’s policy of sending gifts and comforters echoes his later distribution of plunder to Judah’s elders (1 Samuel 30:26). This diplomatic approach contrasts with the Mosaic law excluding Ammonites from the assembly (Deuteronomy 23:3).
Why it lands — The verse records a political calculation that immediately triggers suspicion among Hanun’s officials (1 Chronicles 19:3). It demands a reader to observe how diplomatic gestures can be misread as espionage when trust is absent.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 23:3 No Ammonite or Moabite or any of their descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even to the tenth generation.
- 1 Samuel 30:26 When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, “Here is a gift for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.”
- Genesis 19:37 The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites of today.
- 2 Samuel 9:1 Then David asked, “Is there anyone left from the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for the sake of Jonathan?”
- 2 Samuel 9:7 “Do not be afraid,” said David, “for surely I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”
- 2 Kings 4:13 and Elisha said to Gehazi, “Now tell her, ‘Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us. What can we do for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’” “I have a home among my own people,” she replied.
- Nehemiah 4:3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”
- Nehemiah 4:7 When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious,
- Nehemiah 13:1 At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
- Esther 6:3 The king inquired, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this act?” “Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king’s attendants.