(3) David defeats the Ammonites (19:1-20:3)

When the Ammonites misinterpret David’s kindness, they dispatch the Israelite messengers in shame and hire Aramean mercenaries to assist their forces against a retaliatory strike. General Joab, confident that the outcome is in the Lord’s hands, splits his forces to deal with the double threat. The Israelites rout the enemy coalition. When the Arameans call for help from relatives beyond the Euphrates, David leads his army to victory in the Transjordan. The Ammonites lose an ally when the Arameans become David’s vassals.

In 20:1-3 the chronicler narrates the springtime war against the Ammonites at Rabbah. However, the account lacks the story of David’s liaison with Bathsheba (2Sa 11-12). Some interpreters view this lacuna as suppression of negative details about David. This is possible. However, one must ask why the author did not expunge Bathsheba’s name from the genealogy of the royal family in 1Ch 3:5 if he wanted to hide this connection. Given that the chronicler ignores other details known from canonical sources to shape his story, the lack may be due to the author’s desire to focus on David as a warrior. The story of David’s sin plays a role in Samuel-Kings to explain the succession problems at David’s death. In light of the smooth transition to Solomon recorded in Chronicles, this narrative would not serve the same function for the chronicler and could be eliminated.