David-Fights For a Just Cause

By Mary Vee
II Samuel 10, I Chrinicles 19, Psalm 60

From the Journal of A Spy in King David's Court

courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

To say King David became angry at King Hanun for disgracing his men would be like saying the sun is a dot in the sky and does little.

King David is a man of honor, patience, kindness, and dedication to God. He is also a man of war, ready to fight for a just cause. When I reported Hanun's disgraceful treatment of his loyal soldiers, David communicated quite clearly to Hanun he had become a stench in Davi'd nostrils.

King Hanun wisely became terrified. He spent a thousand talents of silver (thirty-seven tons) to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah, and Zobah. These  were men from the north in Mesopotamia. The men, in turn hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as Maacah with his troops.

Maacah camped near Medeba and the Ammonites gathered their troops to prepare for battle. Medeba is in Moab, across the River Jordan and south, by the Dead Sea.

Does this sound like storm troopers being sent to fight David and his men? Hanun sounded the "I'm totally scared of David, his soldiers, and his God" cry. Hanun made sure he could destroy David and his army by placing the Ammonites on the north, and Maacah's men to the east and south.

I reported to David the call to battle. He immediately sent for Joab and ordered him to prepare the entire army of fighting men to defend our people. 

The Ammonites came out of their cities and drew up in battle formation while the kings who arrived from other places formed in the open country.

Joab sent word back to David, "There are battle lines in front and behind. I have selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. I put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai, my brother, and deployed them against the Ammonites."

"If the Arameans are too strong for me, then Abishai agreed to rescue me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for him, then I will rescue him. I gave him this command "Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight."

The battle began. Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans. The wimps fled, running away like little mice. When the Ammonites saw the strong Arameans had fled, they turned and ran away from Abishai and his men. God set fear in their hearts for the sake of His people.

The battle did not end here. Come back next time to read what the Arameans tried next.

Here is a Psalm we sing:    Psalm 2

Why do the nations plan rebellion?
    Why do people make their useless plots?
 Their kings revolt,
    their rulers plot together against the Lord
    and against the king he chose.
 “Let us free ourselves from their rule,” they say;
    “let us throw off their control.”

 From his throne in heaven the Lord laughs
    and mocks their feeble plans.
 Then he warns them in anger
    and terrifies them with his fury.
 “On Zion,^[a] my sacred hill,” he says,
    “I have installed my king.”

 “I will announce,” says the king, “what the Lord has declared.
    He said to me: ‘You are my son;
    today I have become your father.
 Ask, and I will give you all the nations;
    the whole earth will be yours.
 You will break them with an iron rod;
    you will shatter them in pieces like a clay pot.’”

 Now listen to this warning, you kings;
    learn this lesson, you rulers of the world:
Serve the Lord with fear;
     tremble  and bow down to him;
     or else his anger will be quickly aroused,
    and you will suddenly die.
Happy are all who go to him for protection.

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1.  Why did King Hanun spend a thousand talents of silver?

2.  What did he do to David (answer in the last post)

3.  Who was afraid, Hanun or David?

4.  What did David do when he heard about the call to battle?

5.  What sneaky battle plan did Hanun's armies use?

6.  Joab, the captain of David's army decide to _________ the army.

7.  Joab told Abishai to ________________

8.  What happened in the battle?   (it's okay, you can laugh)

Joab's Revenge

By Mary Vee

I Samuel 2

Joab's Journal

I captain some of David's army. At times, I even captain the whole army depending on the situation. 

Yesterday, some of the men went with me to raid a Philistine village. We did well. It took extra time to haul all we'd plunder back to our homes, but we didn't mind. I couldn't wait to show David.

We arrived back in Hebron in the early evening. Seconds later a crowd gathered to see what we brought. It felt pretty good to tell how we conquered the Philistines. After a few minutes, I left the men to finish telling our stories and went straight to give a report to David.

"David, my men and I have returned. Our mission was a success and we brought back plenty of plunder for everyone."

"Very good. I'll have to see your success." He walked with me out to the carts. "You missed a visit from Abner."

"Abner? Here?"

"Yes, he is upset with Ish-Bosheth and is determined to help put me on the throne of all Israel."

"And you believed him?" David is a great leader and warrior. I couldn't believe he would let a  snake like Abner into the camp much less make an agreement with him. "You let him get away? You should know he only came to spy on what you have and what you plan to do."

My heart pounded with anger. How could the commander I so deeply respected allow the very man who put someone else on the throne, and the same man who killed my brother come in to this camp. The place I call home.

David had ended the war between Abner and his men a while ago. He had also forgiven him for killing my brother, but I had not.

Furry seethed in my veins. I met with several of our soldiers and gathered a group to helm me hunt down Abner. I sent a team ahead with a message pretending to be from David: Please return at once.

The rest of the men and I caught up with Abner at Sirah. We pretended David wanted to meet with him again in Hebron. 

But, before news reached anyone of Abner's return, my other brother, Abashai, and I pulled Abner aside at the gate of Hebron. "Please come over here. I wish to tell you important news before we see David."

He walk with us. Abashai and I took the opportunity to kill Abner by stabbing him in the stomach. The work was finished. He had now paid the price for killing our youngest brother.

David heard the news and came at once. He faced the crowds that came with him. His eyes weighed heavy with disappointment. I thought he'd be happy. This was the last person standing in the way of his throne.

Instead he said, 

“I vow by the Lord that I and my kingdom are forever innocent of this crime against Abner son of Ner. Joab and his family are the guilty ones. May the family of Joab be cursed in every generation with a man who has open sores or leprosy or who walks on crutches or dies by the sword or begs for food!”

Cursed? But I had helped. I took out the man who stood in our way. He should be thankful. 


I don't understand. 

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1. Where had Joab gone?

2. What good news did Joab bring David?

3. Who had visited while Joab was gone?

4. Why was Joab upset (2 reasons)

5. What did Joab decide to do?

6. Did David know?

7. Why was this revenge wrong?