After Amon humiliates Davidโs messengers, David does nothing. This makes Amon very afraid:
ืืืจืื ืื ื ืขืืื ืื ื ืืืฉื ืืืื; ืืืฉืืื ืื ื ืขืืื ืืืฉืืจื ืืช ืืจื ืืืช ืจืืื ืืืช ืืจื ืฆืืื ืขืฉืจืื ืืืฃ ืจืืื ืืืช ืืื ืืขืื ืืืฃ ืืืฉ ืืืืฉ ืืื ืฉื ืื ืขืฉืจ ืืืฃ ืืืฉื
Amon is a small nation that cannot fight Davidโs army. But they can hire mercenaries. Aram had been defeated in ืคืจืง ื, but was not completely in Davidโs control. In the Middle East, no war is ever over.
ื ืืื ืืื ืืช ืืืืขืืจ ืื ืจืื ืืื ืฆืืื ืืืืชื ืืืฉืื ืืื ืื ืืจ (ืคืจืช)ื
โฆื ืืชืื ืืจื ืืืฉืง ืืขืืจ ืืืืืขืืจ ืืื ืฆืืื; ืืื ืืื ืืืจื ืขืฉืจืื ืืฉื ืื ืืืฃ ืืืฉื
ื ืืืฉื ืืื ื ืฆืืื ืืืจื ืืืฉืง ืืชืื ืืจื ืืืื ืืขืืืื ื ืืฉืื ืื ืื; ืืืฉืข ืืณ ืืช ืืื ืืื ืืฉืจ ืืืื
The other nations, ืืขืื and ืืื, appear earlier in ืชื ืดื as small nations in modern Golan Heights:
ืื ืืืชื ืืฉื ืืืฆื ืฉืื ืื ืฉื; ืืืื ืืืฆื ืืื ืื ื ืื ืฉื ืืืฉืคืืืชืื ื ืืืื ืืืืื ืืืื ืื ืื ืืืฉื ืื ืืืืืืช ืขืื ืืื ืืืฉื ืืื ืืืช ืืืืจ ืืฉืจ ืืืฉื ืฉืฉืื ืขืืจื
ืื ืืืืืขื ืืืืื ืืืฉืืจื ืืืืขืืชื ืืื ืืจ ืืจืืื ืืื ืืืฉื ืขื ืกืืืื ืื ืื ืืืืืืช ืขืื ืืืฉื ืืฉืจ ืืื ืืขืฉืชืจืืช ืืืืืจืขื; ืืื ื ืฉืืจ ืืืชืจ ืืจืคืืื ืืืื ืืฉื ืืืจืฉืื ืื ืืื ืืืจืืฉื ืื ื ืืฉืจืื ืืช ืืืฉืืจื ืืืช ืืืขืืชื; ืืืฉื ืืฉืืจ ืืืขืืช ืืงืจื ืืฉืจืื ืขื ืืืื ืืืื
ื ืืืคืชื ืืืืขืื ืืื ืืืืจ ืืื ืืืื ืื ืืฉื ืืื ื; ืืืืื ืืืขื ืืช ืืคืชืื ื ืืชืื ืืฉืช ืืืขื ืื ืื ืื; ืืืืืื ืื ื ืืืฉื ืืืืจืฉื ืืช ืืคืชื ืืืืืจื ืื ืื ืชื ืื ืืืืช ืืืื ื ืื ืื ืืฉื ืืืจืช ืืชืื ื ืืืืจื ืืคืชื ืืคื ื ืืืื ืืืฉื ืืืจืฅ ืืื; ืืืชืืงืื ืื ืืคืชื ืื ืฉืื ืจืืงืื ืืืฆืื ืขืืื
So these are all nations that either were attacked by David or were in danger of his empire-building. We know that he is no longer interested in expanding the borders of Israel, but they do not. And it is apparent from the version in ืืืจื ืืืืื that they attacked Israel:
ืืืจืื ืื ื ืขืืื ืื ืืชืืืฉื ืขื ืืืื; ืืืฉืื ืื ืื ืืื ื ืขืืื ืืืฃ ืืืจ ืืกืฃ ืืฉืืจ ืืื ืื ืืจื ื ืืจืื ืืื ืืจื ืืขืื ืืืฆืืื ืจืื ืืคืจืฉืืื ื ืืืฉืืจื ืืื ืฉื ืื ืืฉืืฉืื ืืืฃ ืจืื ืืืช ืืื ืืขืื ืืืช ืขืื ืืืืื ืืืื ื ืืคื ื ืืืืื;
ืืื ื ืขืืื ื ืืกืคื ืืขืจืืื ืืืืื ืืืืืืื
ืืืืื is a city in ืจืืืื, near Amon:
ืื ืืืชื ืืฉื ืืืื ืื ื ืจืืืื ืืืฉืคืืชืื ืื ืืืื ืืื ืืืืื ืืขืจืืขืจ ืืฉืจ ืขื ืฉืคืช ื ืื ืืจื ืื ืืืขืืจ ืืฉืจ ืืชืื ืื ืื ืืื ืืืืฉืจ ืขื ืืืืืื
So David sends the army to counterattack, but they find themselves caught between two armies:
ื ืืืฉืืข ืืื; ืืืฉืื ืืช ืืืื ืืืช ืื ืืฆืื ืืืืจืืื
ื ืืืฆืื ืื ื ืขืืื ืืืขืจืื ืืืืื ืคืชื ืืฉืขืจ; ืืืจื ืฆืืื ืืจืืื ืืืืฉ ืืื ืืืขืื ืืืื ืืฉืืื
ื ืืืจื ืืืื ืื ืืืชื ืืืื ืคื ื ืืืืืื ืืคื ืื ืืืืืืจ; ืืืืืจ ืืื ืืืืจื ืืืฉืจืื (ืืฉืจืื) ืืืขืจื ืืงืจืืช ืืจืื
ื ืืืช ืืชืจ ืืขื ื ืชื ืืื ืืืฉื ืืืื; ืืืขืจื ืืงืจืืช ืื ื ืขืืืื
ืื ืืืืืจ ืื ืชืืืง ืืจื ืืื ื ืืืืชื ืื ืืืฉืืขื; ืืื ืื ื ืขืืื ืืืืงื ืืื ืืืืืชื ืืืืฉืืข ืืื
ืื ืืืง ืื ืชืืืง ืืขื ืขืื ื ืืืขื ืขืจื ืืืงืื ื; ืืืณ ืืขืฉื ืืืื ืืขืื ืืื
ืื ืืืืฉ ืืืื ืืืขื ืืฉืจ ืขืื ืืืืืื ืืืจื; ืืื ืกื ืืคื ืืื
ืื ืืื ื ืขืืื ืจืื ืื ื ืก ืืจื ืืื ืกื ืืคื ื ืืืืฉื ืืืืื ืืขืืจ; ืืืฉื ืืืื ืืขื ืื ื ืขืืื ืืืื ืืจืืฉืืื
Iโm less concerned with the military strategy than with whatโs missing: David. He doesnโt go out to war; he just sends Yoav. Thatโs striking, because in the aftermath of this battle, he does go out himself:
ืื ืืืจื ืืจื ืื ื ืืฃ ืืคื ื ืืฉืจืื; ืืืืกืคื ืืืื
ืื ืืืฉืื ืืืืขืืจ ืืืฆื ืืช ืืจื ืืฉืจ ืืขืืจ ืื ืืจ ืืืืื ืืืื; ืืฉืืื ืฉืจ ืฆืื ืืืืขืืจ ืืคื ืืืื
ืื ืืืื ืืืื ืืืืกืฃ ืืช ืื ืืฉืจืื ืืืขืืจ ืืช ืืืจืื ืืืื ืืืืื; ืืืขืจืื ืืจื ืืงืจืืช ืืื ืืืืืื ืขืืื
ืื ืืื ืก ืืจื ืืคื ื ืืฉืจืื ืืืืจื ืืื ืืืจื ืฉืืข ืืืืช ืจืื ืืืจืืขืื ืืืฃ ืคืจืฉืื; ืืืช ืฉืืื ืฉืจ ืฆืืื ืืื ืืืืช ืฉืื
ืื ืืืจืื ืื ืืืืืื ืขืืื ืืืืขืืจ ืื ื ืืคื ืืคื ื ืืฉืจืื ืืืฉืืื ืืช ืืฉืจืื ืืืขืืืื; ืืืจืื ืืจื ืืืืฉืืข ืขืื ืืช ืื ื ืขืืืื
This battle became a by-word for a battle that depended on Israelโs faith in ืืณ:
ืึฐืฉืืึผืึท ืึดืึฐืึธืึธื, ืึผึฐืฉืึธืขึธื ืฉืึถืึผึฐืึทืึผึตืจ ืึถื ืึธืขึธื, ืึผึดืึฐืฉืืึนื ืึทืงึผึนืึถืฉื ืึธืึธื ืึฐืึทืึผึตืจโฆ(ืืืจืื ื:ื) โืึผึดื ืืณ ืึฑึพืึนืึตืืึถื ืึทืึนืึตืึฐ ืขึดืึผึธืึถืโ, ืึตื ืึผึธืึดืื ืึผึฐื ึดืฆึฐืืึนื ืึน ืฉืึถื ืึผึธืฉืึธืจ ืึธืึธื, ืึฐืึทืชึผึถื ืึผึธืึดืื ืึผึฐื ึดืฆึฐืืึนื ืึน ืฉืึถื ืึธืงืึนื. ืคึผึฐืึดืฉืึฐืชึผึดืื ืึผึธืืึผ ืึฐื ึดืฆึฐืืึนื ืึน ืฉืึถื ืึผึธืึฐืึธืช, ืึถื ืึธืึธื ืกืึนืคืึน, ืึฐืกืึนืฃ ื ึธืคึทื ืึผึทืึถืจึถื ืึฐื ึธืคึฐืืึผ ืขึดืึผืึน. ืึผึฐื ึตื ืขึทืึผืึนื ืึผึธืืึผ ืึฐื ึดืฆึฐืืึนื ืึน ืฉืึถื ืฉืืึนืึทืึฐ, ืึถื ืึธืึธื ืกืึนืคืึน, ืึฐืกืึนืฃ ื ึธืคึทื ืึผึทืึถืจึถื ืึฐื ึธืคึฐืืึผ ืขึดืึผืึน.
However, itโs not over. A year later, the war continues and Davidโs absence becomes more pronounced. In ืกืคืจ ืฉืืืื, this is when the episode of David and Bat Sheva occurs. In ืืืจื ืืืืื, the focus is on the war:
ื ืืืื ืืขืช ืชืฉืืืช ืืฉื ื ืืขืช ืฆืืช ืืืืืื ืืื ืื ืืืื ืืช ืืื ืืฆืื ืืืฉืืช ืืช ืืจืฅ ืื ื ืขืืื ืืืื ืืืฆืจ ืืช ืจืื ืืืืื ืืฉื ืืืจืืฉืื; ืืื ืืืื ืืช ืจืื ืืืืจืกืื ื ืืืงื ืืืื ืืช ืขืืจืช ืืืื ืืขื ืจืืฉื ืืืืฆืื ืืฉืงื ืืืจ ืืื ืืื ืืื ืืงืจื ืืชืื ืขื ืจืืฉ ืืืื; ืืฉืื ืืขืืจ ืืืฆืื ืืจืื ืืืื ื ืืืช ืืขื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืืฆืื ืืืฉืจ ืืืืจื ืืืืจืืฆื ืืืจืื ืืืืืจืืช ืืื ืืขืฉื ืืืื ืืื ืขืจื ืื ื ืขืืื; ืืืฉื ืืืื ืืื ืืขื ืืจืืฉืืื
ืืขืช ืฆืืช ืืืืืืื: ืืคืืจืืฉื ืืกืืฃ ืืฉื ื ืฉืืื ืชืฉืืืช ืืฉืืฉ ืื ืื ืงืืื ืืืื ืืืฉืืื ืฉื ื ืื ืืืื ืฉืืฆืื ืืื ืืืืืื ืื ืืืจืื ืืืืื. ืืืดื ืืขืช ืฆืืช ืืขื ืฉืืจื ืืืืืื ืืฆืืช ืขื ืืืืืืชืืื ืืืื ืขืช ืฉืืงืืืช ืืฉืืืช ืืืกืืกืื ืืืฆืืื ืืืืื. ืืืจืืฉืื ื ืืื ืืขืื ื.
Many ืืคืจืฉืื explain ืืืช ืืขื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืืฆืื ืืืฉืจ ืืืืจื etc. as a description of torture:
ืืืฉื ืืืืจื: ืฉื ืืฉืคืื ืืืืกืจื ืืืืจื ืืืืณ.
But it seems to make more sense in the context of ืชื ืดื that he enslaved them, as Solomon would later do:
ื ืื ืืขื ืื ืืชืจ ืื ืืืืจื ืืืชื ืืคืจืื ืืืื ืืืืืืกื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืื ื ืืฉืจืื ืืืื
ืื ืื ืืื ืืฉืจ ื ืชืจื ืืืจืืื ืืืจืฅ ืืฉืจ ืื ืืืื ืื ื ืืฉืจืื ืืืืจืืื; ืืืขืื ืฉืืื ืืืก ืขืื ืขื ืืืื ืืืื
ืื ืืืื ื ืืฉืจืื ืื ื ืชื ืฉืืื ืขืื; ืื ืื ืื ืฉื ืืืืืื ืืขืืืื ืืฉืจืื ืืฉืืืฉืื ืืฉืจื ืจืืื ืืคืจืฉืืื
Iโm not going to judge the morality of slavery in the time of ืชื ืดื.
I do want to look at the text of ืืืจื ืืืืื. Thereโs clearly a gap between ืคืกืืง ื:โ ืืืืื ืืฉื ืืืจืืฉืื; ืืื ืืืื ืืช ืจืื and ืคืกืืง ื:โ ืืืงื ืืืื ืืช ืขืืจืช ืืืื. The author is drawing attention to what the reader must know fits in that gap: the episode of David and Bat Sheva. ืืืจื ืืืืื never criticises David. This is as close as it comes, and the problem is, again, ืืืืื ืืฉื ืืืจืืฉืื. Letโs look at the story as presented in ืกืคืจ ืฉืืืื:
ืื:ื ืืืื ืืชืฉืืืช ืืฉื ื ืืขืช ืฆืืช ืืืืืืื ืืืฉืื ืืื ืืช ืืืื ืืืช ืขืืืื ืขืื ืืืช ืื ืืฉืจืื ืืืฉืืชื ืืช ืื ื ืขืืื ืืืฆืจื ืขื ืจืื; ืืืื ืืืฉื ืืืจืืฉืืื
โฆ55 ืคืกืืงืื: ืกืืคืืจ ืืช ืฉืืข
ืื:ืื ืืืืื ืืืื ืืจืืช ืื ื ืขืืื; ืืืืื ืืช ืขืืจ ืืืืืืื ืื:ืื ืืืฉืื ืืืื ืืืืืื ืื ืืื; ืืืืืจ ื ืืืืชื ืืจืื ืื ืืืืชื ืืช ืขืืจ ืืืืื ืื:ืื ืืขืชื ืืกืฃ ืืช ืืชืจ ืืขื ืืื ื ืขื ืืขืืจ ืืืืื; ืคื ืืืื ืื ื ืืช ืืขืืจ ืื ืงืจื ืฉืื ืขืืืื ืื:ืื ืืืืกืฃ ืืื ืืช ืื ืืขื ืืืื ืจืืชื; ืืืืื ืื ืืืืืืื ืื:ื ืืืงื ืืช ืขืืจืช ืืืื ืืขื ืจืืฉื ืืืฉืงืื ืืืจ ืืื ืืืื ืืงืจื ืืชืื ืขื ืจืืฉ ืืื; ืืฉืื ืืขืืจ ืืืฆืื ืืจืื ืืืื ืื:ืื ืืืช ืืขื ืืฉืจ ืื ืืืฆืื ืืืฉื ืืืืจื ืืืืจืฆื ืืืจืื ืืืืืืจืช ืืืจืื ืืืขืืืจ ืืืชื ืืืืื (ืืืืื) ืืื ืืขืฉื ืืื ืขืจื ืื ื ืขืืื; ืืืฉื ืืื ืืื ืืขื ืืจืืฉืืื
In Chronicles' account, the very thing that Yoav had sought to avoid seems to have happenedโthe credit for taking the city was given to him rather than to David.
The explanation for Chronicles' approach may be as follows: Rambam (Melachim 4:10), in discussing the role of the monarchy in the view of the Torah, states: โโฆthe purpose of establishing a king is only in order that he may execute justice and wage war, as it is written: (ืฉืืืื ื ื:ื)โ ืืฉืคืื ื ืืืื ื ืืืฆื ืืคื ืื ื ืื ืืื ืืช ืืืืืชื ืโ. Although Rambam does not say so explicitly, it is implied, and borne out by countless stories throughout Scripture, that the duty of conducting wars is a personal one. It seems to require that the king himself go out to battle (see Rashi to Joshua 7:10 [ืึดื ืชึผึตืึตืึฐ ืึทืชึผึธื ืึดืคึฐื ึตืืึถื ืึทืฆึฐืึดืืืึผ, ืึฐืึดื ืึธืื ืึนื ืึทืฆึฐืึดืืืึผ]).
[Footnote 1] If this analysis is correct, then our passage in Chronicles is a sort of Midrash on Samuel. It takes a section of Scripture and explicates teachings which are implicit in the text, in much the same was that the Sages of the Talmud did in later centuries.
We could imagine the same Midrash in Talmudic language as reading approximately: G-d said to David, โDo you sit in comfort in Jerusalem while My children are in the field of battle? By your life, their victory will not be ascribed to youโ.
So why does David not go out? Rav Eisemann hypothesizes:
From all that we have now learned, it seems quite obvious why Dovid felt that it would be inappropriate to take part in the battle for AmmonโฆDovid must have realized that but for his ill-conceived idea to send the delegation for Chonun, none of this suffering need have happened. Weighed down by his guilt, he felt that he had best not be involved in the fighting.
I would disagree. We know that David did lead the battle against Aram as part of this very war. Itโs only against Amon that he stays behind. I think it goes back to his original delegation to Amon: (ืฉืืืื ื ื:ื)โ ืืืืืจ ืืื ืืขืฉื ืืกื ืขื ืื ืื ืื ื ืืฉ ืืืฉืจ ืขืฉื ืืืื ืขืืื ืืกื. He had a personal connection to Amon, and a personal reason to express gratitude. We see this with Moshe:
ืืืจ ืื ืืืจื: ืึฐืคึดื ืฉืึถืึตืึตื ืึทืึฐืืึนืจ ืขึทื ืึนืฉืึถื ืึผึฐืฉืึถื ึผึดืฉืึฐืึทืึฐ ืึฐืชืึนืืึน, ืึฐืคึดืืึธืึฐ ืึนื ืึธืงึธื ืขึทื ืึธืืึน ืึนื ืึทืึผึธื ืึฐืึนื ืึทืฆึฐืคึทืจึฐืึผึฐืขึดืื, ืึฐืึธืงึธื ืขึทื ืึฐืึตื ืึทืึฒืจึนื.
But that is wrong. David is not an individual, with individual responsibilities. As ืืื ืืฉืจืื he represents ืื ืกืช ืืฉืจืื. If war is appropriate, he needs to lead it. If he canโt go out to fight, he cannot send the people to fight.
ืขื ืืกืจืช ืืืื ืืงืคืืื ืชืืจื, ืฉื ืืืจ (ืืืจืื ืื:ืื) ืึฐืึนื ืึธืกืึผืจ ืึฐืึธืืึนโืฉืืืื ืืื ืื ืื ืงืื ืืฉืจืื.
But itโs clear that the army noted Davidโs absence. Uriah makes a biting comment when David tries to get him to go home:
ืืืืืจ ืืืจืื ืื ืืื ืืืจืื ืืืฉืจืื ืืืืืื ืืฉืืื ืืกืืืช ืืืื ื ืืืื ืืขืืื ืืื ื ืขื ืคื ื ืืฉืื ืื ืื ืืื ื ืืืื ืื ืืืชื ืืืื ืืืฉืชืืช ืืืฉืื ืขื ืืฉืชื; ืืื ืืื ื ืคืฉื ืื ืืขืฉื ืืช ืืืืจ ืืืื
I think the problem that ืืืจื ืืืืื is hinting at, by pointedly not mentioning ืืช ืฉืืข, is that David is trying to be ืขืฉื ืืฉืคื ืืฆืืงื but is still making everything about him rather than about the people. If he is to be a ืืื ืืฉืจืื, then he doesnโt get a personal life or the moral choices that an individual makes. He needs to sacrifice himself as an individual to be the leader of a people. And I would argue that this mistake is what leads to that fateful night with ืืช ืฉืืข.