And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his servants. So the Syrians were not willing to help the people of Ammon anymore.
Read chapter 19
Two nations join together to defeat Israel, but guess who comes out for the win? Israel, that's right! The Ammonites saw that they were repulsive in the sight of King David (their own fault for what they did to David's men by shaving off their beards and cutting their pants to expose them) so they decide to war against Israel. The Ammonites know they didn't stand a chance on their own so they use their money to buy power and favor from the Syrians. So now the Ammonites have the Syrians all riled up against Israel as well and the two attack Israel from the front and behind. So then we see Israel's army commander Joab set up well his army to defend the people and their cities. We see in Joab's words of encouragement his own reliance on God: "Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight" (v.13). So we read the Syrians and the Ammonites were defeated by David and the Israelite army and the chapter ends seeing the Syrians no longer wiling to help the people of Ammon. The account in 2 Samuel 10 says they were afraid to help them anymore. They helped a nations hatred all for money yet lost so much more as some 47,000 men died in that war. The Ammonites tried to gang up but ultimately got ganged up instead. How have you either tried to gang up on someone to hurt them or been the one ganged up by? Why did you join in? If you're the one being attacked in a gang up situation how can you turn and ask the Lord for how to defend yourself and trust in Him?
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