Then a vast alliance of surrounding nations formed against David. Out of this came the greatest wars and greatest victories of his reign and the biggest increases of his power. He had done nothing to provoke this hostile alliance. Here are the circumstances that led to the formation of this alliance:
News had come to Jerusalem about the death of Nahash, king of the Ammonites, who had shown kindness to David when he was a fleeing from Saul. Wanting to express his appreciation of the favor shown him in his distress, David sent a message of sympathy to Hanun, son of the Ammonite king.
Hanun’s counselors misinterpreted David’s message. They “said to Hanun their lord, ‘Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?’” They could not comprehend the generous spirit that inspired David’s message. Believing that his counselors were right, Hanun regarded David’s messengers as spies and loaded them with scorn and insult.
God permitted the Ammonites to carry out the evil purposes of their hearts so that their real character might be clear to David. It was not His will that Israel enter into an alliance with this heathen people.
Knowing that David would certainly punish them for this insult to Israel, the Ammonites prepared for war. Those living in the region between the Euphrates river and the Mediterranean Sea joined with the Ammonites to crush Israel.
The Hebrews did not wait for the invasion. Under Joab they advanced toward the Ammonite capital. The united forces of the enemy were overcome in the first battle, but the next year they renewed the war. David, knowing how much depended upon the result of this conflict, went onto the battlefield himself, and by the blessing of God inflicted a defeat so disastrous that the Syrians, from Lebanon to the Euphrates, not only gave up the war—they also became subject to Israel.
The dangers that threatened the nation with destruction proved to be the means by which it rose to greatness. Commemorating his deliverance, David sang:
Blessed be my Rock!Let the God of my salvation be exalted.It is God who avenges me,And subdues the peoples under me;He delivers me from my enemies. Psalm 18:46-48
Throughout the songs of David, the thought was impressed on his people that Jehovah was their strength and deliverer:
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7
The kingdom of Israel had now reached the full extent of what God had promised to Abraham: “To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates.” (Genesis 15:18). Israel had become a mighty nation, respected and feared by surrounding peoples. David commanded, as few sovereigns in any age have been able to command, the affections and allegiance of his people. He had honored God, and God was now honoring him.
But danger lurked in the middle of prosperity. In the time of his greatest outward triumph David was at the greatest risk, and met his most humiliating defeat.
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