MEDEBA, or Medaba, Madaba, Medava, a City beyond Jordan, and in the Southern Parts of the Tribe of Reuben, Josh. xiii. 16. The Moabites took Possession of it, Isai. xvi. 2. Eusebius says, that Medeba was not far from Hesbbon or Chesbon. Isaiah attributes Isai. xvi. 2.it to Moab, because the Moabites took it from the Israelites. Josephus1 and some others ascribe it to the Arabians, because the Arabians had indeed made themselves Masters of it towards the Conclusion of the Jewish Monarchy. The The Inhabitants of Medaba having killed John Gaddis, Brother of Judas Maccabæus, as he was passing to the Countrey of the Nabatheans2: Quickly afterwards Simon and Jonathan his Brethren revenged his Death upon the Children of Jambri, as they were conducting a new married Bride to the House of a Man of Quality that had married her.
After the Affront that Hanan King of the Ammonites had offered to David’s Ambassadors, 2 Sam. x. 4. 1 Chron. xix. 4.he easily perceived, that this Prince would not long sit down under it, but would soon endeavour to revenge such an Insult, and that therefore he ought to prepare for the War that was coming upon him. He therefore sent a Thousand Talents to raise Troops among his Neighbours, and procured twenty Thousand Men from Rehob and Zoba, a Thousand from Maachah, and twelve Thousand from Ish-tob. He likewise obtained from Mesopotamia a great Number of Chariots of War. The Chronicles mention 1 Chron. xx. 7.thirty two Thousand, but this is such a prodigious Number, that it is plain there must be some Mistake.
When David had Intelligence of these Preparations, he sent Joab against them at the Head of all his best Troops. The Ammonites did not think fit to suffer themselves to be besieged, nor yet to venture themselves in the open Countrey; they set their Army in Battle-array under the Walls of the City Medeba, and their auxiliary Troops were encamped by themselves in the Plain. Joab divided his Army into two Bodies, one of which under the Command of his Brother Abishai was to make Head against the Ammonites, and the other commanded by himself was to attack the Camp of the Syrians, and the rest of the Foreigners. He says to his Brother, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the Children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then will I come and help thee. Joab began the Attack, and fell upon the Syrians with so much Fury, that he routed them and put them to Flight. The Ammonites seeing the Syrians defeated, betook themselves to Flight also, and retired with Precipitation into Medeba.
Observations upon the Battle of Medeba.☞ The sacred History, ever fruitful in extraordinary Events, especially under the Reign of King David, here gives us an Account 2 Sam. x. 6, &c. 1 Chron. xix. 6, &c.of an Action very singular and surprizing. An Army here advances of its own Accord, and interposes between two other Armies of Enemies, much stronger and more numerous than themselves; and not only makes Head against them both at the same Time, but also obtains a compleat Victory over them. This is what we cannot find an Instance of any where else, either in ancient or modern History; and I think we never have heard of any Action more rare or wonderful than this was. And the sacred Authors themselves judged it so worthy of being transmitted to Posterity, that it is inserted not only in the second Book of Samuel, but also in the first of the Chronicles, on Occasion of the War of the Israelites against the Ammonites, and the Kings their Allies.
It appears that the Armies of these Confederates were very considerable, though the Scripture only mentions thirty three Thousand Men of auxiliary Troops, and a great Number of Chariots of War. It says, 1 Chron. xix. 7.They hired thirty and two Thousand Chariots, and the King of Maachab and his People, who came and pitched before Medeba. And the Children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their Cities, and came to Battle.
When David had Notice of all these Preparations, he gave Orders to Joab to march against them, with the Choice of all his Troops.
The Children of Ammon came out, and put the Battle in Array at the entering in of the Gate, [of Medeba] And the Syrians of Zoba and of Rebob, and Ish-tob and 2 Sam. x. 8.Maachab were by themselves in the Field.
Joab was a very gallant Man, and very 1 Chron. xix. 9.well knew how to extricate himself out of any Difficulties of this Nature; and therefore resolved to attack both these formidable Armies at the same Time. He easily foresaw that he should be hemmed in on all Sides; but his own Valour, and the Bravery of his Troops, seemed to him sufficiently to answer for the Success of this bold Enterprize.
The Scripture is not particular in the Order and Distribution of these three Armies: But as we are now upon the Hebrew Xenoph. Cyro-paid. l. vi. Tacticks, it will be impossible to be mistaken in it, if we have but a little Experience in the Art of War. We need but read with Attention the Description of the Actions, and we may be assured of the Conclusions to be drawn from them. To which may be added, that in many Places the sacred Authors explain to us the Manner of ranging their Armies, which was the same as that of the other People of Asia, and which they have always preserved, except in the Depth of their Files, which makes no considerable Alteration. So that we cannot be much mistaken in the Order that we conceive they observed.
The Jews ranged their Infantry in great Bodies, in the same right Line, with small Spaces between the Battalions, to leave Room for the Retreat of such as were wounded, or for those that were to carry Orders. That is, they generally fought in a perfect Phalanx, having a great Extent of Front. Xenophon says°, in his History of Cyrus, that the Infantry of Cræsus had the Depth of thirty Men. I am persuaded that the Jews ranged themselves according to the same Principles that obtained among their Neighbours, when they found themselves to be strong enough; but when their Weakness would not allow them to range themselves in this Manner, they fought in several great and separate Bodies, after the Manner of Columns, in Order to penetrate into the Enemies Lines in different Places, in which they almost always succeeded.
Joab easily perceiving that he could not fight the Ammonites, without having the Syrians at the same Time at his Back, who were then posted at the Foot of a Mountain, and who would infallibly turn their Army, as really they did, to hemm him in; formed himself into two Lines, or Phalanxes; the Foot in the Center, and the Horse at the two Wings. In Samuel there is no Mention of Horse, but the Chronicles supply this Defect. Currus & Equites. And though they had not been mentioned, yet I should have been the more strongly persuaded of it, that there was Cavalry in the three Armies, because there appears to have been a very great Number in the last Battle, which decided the Fate of the Ammonites, and of the Kings their Allies, a Campaign or two after, where David at 2 Sam. x. 18.the Head of his Army slew the Men of seven Hundred Chariots of the Syrians, and forty Thousand Horsemen, and smote Shobach the Captain of their Host, who died there. The Vulgate says, Occidit David de Syris septingentos currus, & quadringenta millia equitum. I think ‘tis better to translate it, that David made himself Master ster of all these Chariots, and that he cut in Pieces the Men that drove them. For otherwise Readers might imagine, that David broke the Chariots to Pieces, whereas they were always preserved as Trophies of Victory, as also that they might afterwards be used for the same Purpose.
But now let us return to the first Battle. The Chronicles assign to the Ammonites thirty two Thousand Chariots of War. Father Calmet thinks this Number to be very excessive, and believes there is some Error in the Number. I am of his Opinion, and even doubt, literally speaking, that there could be seven Thousand in the second Battle, which put an End to this War. Much more does the Number of thirty two Thousand seem to be incredible. For though each Chariot should have had no more than two Men in it, and were drawn by two Horses, this would make sixty four Thousand Men, and as many Horses. But what Extent of Countrey must these Chariots have taken up, when ranged in a Line? The Calculation of this would not be difficult; it would be much more so to believe, that the Front of one or two Armies should possess such a Quantity of Ground. For it would require more than a Million of Men, with six in File. Chariots of War have been long in Use among the People of Asia; but do we ever find that the Kings of Assyria, the Medes, or the Persians have ever took the Field with so large a Number? Xenophon assures us3, that Cyrus had three hundred Chariots of War in the Battle which he fought against Cræsus King of Lydia. It does not appear that this Prince had a greater Number, tho’ he was more potent by half than his Enemy. We find much fewer in the Battle of Cyrus the younger against his Brother Artaxerxes4, and even in the Army of Darius, and in that of Alexander the Great5. We may conclude from hence, that it was not possible the Ammonites should have so many Chariots of War, there must be some Mistake in the Number, or that the Hebrew Word which we translate by Chariots must signifie something else.
Lastly Joab committed to his Brother Abishai the Command of half the Army, to lead them against the Ammonites, and himself marched at the Head of the other half, to attack the Syrians; after he had confirmed his Courage, and required of him, that if either of them should happen to be worsted, that the other should come to his Assistance. All these Things being thus concerted between them, Joab, who was brave as well as prudent, began this great Action by the Attack of the Syrians; being well assured, that if he should happen to beat them, before Abishai should fall in with the Ammonites, that these would soon betake themselves to Flight, for Fear of having the two Brothers at once to pour upon them. It happened just as he had foreseen. The Syrians were routed and began to fly. The Ammonites disheartened at such a sudden Rout, gave Ground, and retired into the Town in great Disorder.
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