1 Chronicles 20:3

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 1 Chronicles 20:3

(3) And he brought.—Better, “And the people that were in it he brought out, and sawed with the saw, and with the iron threshing-drags (Isaiah 41:15), and with the axes.”Sawed.—The Hebrew is an old word, only found here. Samuel reads, by change of one letter, “set them in,” or “among,” the saws, &c.With the axes.—So Samuel. Our Hebrew text repeats the word “saw” in the plural, owing to a scribe’s error. The two words differ by a single letter. Samuel adds, “and made them pass through the... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - 1 Chronicles 20:1-8

Great Giants and Small 1 Chronicles 20:4-8 You tremble when you read the names of these giants. There is no need to tremble; a deadlier giant is aiming at your heart today. The heroics have changed as to apparatus and nomenclature and environment, and all that sort of vanishing vapour; the great fight goes on, the tremendous rush of armies, Philistine and Israelite still meet face to face. I. What giants have you been fighting? You have got through the first crude lot. I know it; so have we... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - 1 Chronicles 20:1-8

CHAPTER 20 Joab and David take Rabbah 1. Rabbah destroyed (1 Chronicles 20:1-3 ) 2. The Philistine giants slain (1 Chronicles 20:4-8 ) Rabbah was the capital of Ammon (Deuteronomy 3:11 ; Joshua 13:25 ) and was taken by Joab. David tarried in Jerusalem (so fatal to him, 2 Samuel 11:1 ) and Joab smote Rabbah and destroyed it. Then David appeared also upon the scene. Joab had summoned David to help in the overthrow of the city (2 Samuel 12:27 , etc). The crown mentioned was probably the crown... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 20:1-8

DAVID ’S REIGN THE DOWNFALL OF SAUL (1 Chronicles 10:0 ) In reading this chapter with whose general contents we became familiar in 1 Samuel 31:0 , it is important to note the inspired comment at its close (1 Chronicles 10:13-14 ). DAVID’S HEROES (1 Chronicles 11-12) In the history of David in this book, the writer dwells chiefly on its prosperous side, passing over the rest as lightly as possible. His anointing at Hebron (1 Chronicles 11:1-3 ) reveals nothing of what we learned earlier of... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - 1 Chronicles 20:1-8

1 Chronicles 20:0 1. And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it. [We learn from 2 Samuel 12:27-29 , that before the actual fall of the Ammonite capital, Joab sent for David, that the honour of the capture might be his; and that David took the command before... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - 1 Chronicles 20:1-3

The Reader will recollect the circumstances which are here related have been before noticed, and with more particulars in 2 Samuel 11:0 and 2 Samuel 12:0 . I refer therefore to the account there given. I would only desire the Reader to recollect, that while Joab was thus engaged at Rabbah, this was the sad period when David was falling into the fool sin of adultery at Jerusalem. It is remarkable, however, that though the relation of that sin is immediately connected with the account of the war... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - 1 Chronicles 20:3

Harrows. Hebrew, "cut them with saws, and with harrows; (Haydock) or, rollers of iron, and with saws." But some other term was probably used, as we find saws before. (Calmet) --- Protestants have "axes." This exemplary punishment was in consequence of the violation of the law of nations. Abulensis pronounced it lawful. Tirinus accuses David of a grievous sin of cruelty; observing that he was at this time involved in the sin of adultery: and people easily fall from one abyss into another.... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - 1 Chronicles 20:1-3

The City of Rabbah Taken v. 1. And it came to pass that after the year was expired, at the season when warlike operations were usually resumed, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, the flower of his veteran troops, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, thus chastising the Ammonites for their willful outrage on the Hebrew ambassadors, and came and besieged Rabbah, the most powerful fortress in the country. But David tarried at Jerusalem,... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - 1 Chronicles 20:1-8

ι.David’s Wars and Officers of State, especially his Victorious Battles with the Ammonites and the Philistines: 1 Chronicles 18-201 Chronicles 18:1 And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her daughters out of the hand of the Philistines. 2And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.3And David smote Hadadezer1 king of Zobah towards Hamath, as he went to set up his sign at the river Euphrates. 4And... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - 1 Chronicles 20:1-8

Joab's conquest of the children of Ammon was complete. They were despoiled of their possessions and reduced to servitude. There is practically no doubt that this is the meaning of the story as it is written here. In the Revised Version, verse 1 Chronicles 20:3, if the italicized word "them" is omitted, this sense is at once apparent. The people were put to the menial work of cutting with saws, with harrows, and with axes. The last mention of David's wars by the chronicler occupies the latter... read more

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