2 Samuel 10:13-19
Verse 19 When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.
Hanun thought he had the Israelites right where he wanted them, there was no way they could win when they were sandwiched between the two armies. But he hadn’t counted on the God factor of the Israelites arsenal. When Joab and the top military forces of the Israelite army advanced to fight against the Arameans, the hired army high-tailed it out of town. 35,000 men running away from the Israelites.
Hanun had seen the Israelites divide and figured it should be easy to take down the portion coming towards him and then go and fight the backlines of the troops facing the men in the fields. When he saw the men he had hired fleeing the army from Israel, he freaks out and tells his men to get back into the city before the second section of the enemy army can join those heading towards them. Within their gates they could breathe a sigh of relief.
By scaring the army of Hanun back into the city, God had helped His people keep His command not to go up against the Ammonites. But God hadn’t told His people to leave the Arameans alone. With both armies fleeing from Israel, Joab takes the troops back to Jerusalem. But the Aramean people realized they had been no match for the Israelites and they decided to regroup.
Hadadezer of the Arameans hadn’t forgotten the way David and the Israelite army had destroyed his people and he was ready to take on David again. He gathered as many as he could from beyond the Euphrates River and got ready to battle the Israelites at Helam which was not much east of the Jordan. When David heard what they were up to he gathered his men and they went out to meet them on the formed battle lines.
The two armies fought but it wasn’t long before the Arameans realized they were out powered and they fled from the army of Israel. David and his men did quite a bit of damage to the enemy army and it didn’t take long for word to get out about David’s defeat of Hadadezer yet again. Soon Hadadezer’s allies were rushing to make peace with the Israelites, even to the point of being subject to them. It was easier to be subjects to Israel than fear meeting them in battle. God had once again proven mightier than any earthly king or army.
Making It Personal
What battles in your life could use a healthy dose of God’s might? Have you surrendered to His way of dealing with the battles of life? Where do you need His might today?
Making It Personal Kids
Do you feel like Jesus helps you with your troubles? Do you ask Him to help you deal with the hard times of life? What can you ask Him for help with today?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for the way You are always there to guide us and fight our battles with us. Give us wisdom to know what is a battle of Yours and when it is merely us fighting for ourselves. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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