Assuming each chariot only had one guy in it (which is most likely not the case), in these chapters alone, David is credited with the deaths of 115,000 people. That’s a lot of bloodshed.

As a generally pacifist woman, I do not understand war at all. As much as I understand the general motivation for it, I cannot imagine carrying it out. I hope to God I never am responsible for taking another person’s life. This seems like a nightmare, like my soul would be split (Voldemort style).

So how do I feel about this man of God killing so many people in such a short amount of time? I have no idea. I have no concept. I decided to add up the numbers just because I found myself glossing over them. “But wait!” I said to myself, “These are souls! These are real people. As real as me and as real as David.” Just not on the right side, apparently.

The LORD’s right to selecting which people group He was going to use is totally up to Him. I just can’t wrap my mind around it. Around war.

Life is messy and complicated. We indulge a fantasy world if we think we can neatly sort right and wrong into little black and white boxes.

We must always choose humility.

I’m not Jewish. Maybe my distant ancestor lost a father or brother in these wars. I can never know, but I must surrender these stories to the LORD.

Chronicles is a collection of stories. This is what happened. We are here to study and wonder at the Bible, wrestling and adoring along the way. No one cares what our lofty judgements about it are. Let’s not abandon the struggle. Yet, let’s always choose humility.

-Bethany