1 And it came to pass after this, H310 that the king H4428 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 died, H4191 and Hanun H2586 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
2 Then said H559 David, H1732 I will shew H6213 kindness H2617 unto Hanun H2586 the son H1121 of Nahash, H5176 as his father H1 shewed H6213 kindness H2617 unto me. And David H1732 sent H7971 to comfort H5162 him by the hand H3027 of his servants H5650 for his father. H1 And David's H1732 servants H5650 came H935 into the land H776 of the children H1121 of Ammon. H5983
3 And the princes H8269 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 said H559 unto Hanun H2586 their lord, H113 Thinkest H5869 thou that David H1732 doth honour H3513 thy father, H1 that he hath sent H7971 comforters H5162 unto thee? hath not David H1732 rather sent H7971 his servants H5650 unto thee, to H5668 search H2713 the city, H5892 and to spy it out, H7270 and to overthrow H2015 it?
4 Wherefore Hanun H2586 took H3947 David's H1732 servants, H5650 and shaved off H1548 the one half H2677 of their beards, H2206 and cut off H3772 their garments H4063 in the middle, H2677 even to their buttocks, H8357 and sent them away. H7971
5 When they told H5046 it unto David, H1732 he sent H7971 to meet H7125 them, because the men H582 were greatly H3966 ashamed: H3637 and the king H4428 said, H559 Tarry H3427 at Jericho H3405 until your beards H2206 be grown, H6779 and then return. H7725
6 And when the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 saw H7200 that they stank H887 before David, H1732 the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 sent H7971 and hired H7936 the Syrians H758 of Bethrehob, H1050 and the Syrians H758 of Zoba, H6678 twenty H6242 thousand H505 footmen, H7273 and of king H4428 Maacah H4601 a thousand H505 men, H376 and of Ishtob H382 twelve H6240 H8147 thousand H505 men. H376
7 And when David H1732 heard H8085 of it, he sent H7971 Joab, H3097 and all the host H6635 of the mighty men. H1368
8 And the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 came out, H3318 and put the battle H4421 in array H6186 at the entering in H6607 of the gate: H8179 and the Syrians H758 of Zoba, H6678 and of Rehob, H7340 and Ishtob, H382 and Maacah, H4601 were by themselves H905 in the field. H7704
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 10
Commentary on 2 Samuel 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 10
2Sa 10:1-5. David's Messengers, Sent to Comfort Hanun, Are Disgracefully Treated.
2. Then said David, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me—It is probable that this was the Nahash against whom Saul waged war at Jabesh-gilead (1Sa 11:11). David, on leaving Gath, where his life was exposed to danger, found an asylum with the king of Moab; and as Nahash, king of the Ammonites, was his nearest neighbor, it may be that during the feud between Saul and David, he, through enmity to the former, was kind and hospitable to David.
3. the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun—Their suspicion was not warranted either by any overt act or by any cherished design of David: it must have originated in their knowledge of the denunciations of God's law against them (De 23:3-6), and of David's policy in steadfastly adhering to it.
4. Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards—From the long flowing dress of the Hebrews and other Orientals, the curtailment of their garments must have given them an aspect of gross indelicacy and ludicrousness. Besides, a knowledge of the extraordinary respect and value which has always been attached, and the gross insult that is implied in any indignity offered, to the beard in the East, will account for the shame which the deputies felt, and the determined spirit of revenge which burst out in all Israel on learning the outrage. Two instances are related in the modern history of Persia, of similar insults by kings of haughty and imperious temper, involving the nation in war; and we need not, therefore, be surprised that David vowed revenge for this wanton and public outrage.
5. Tarry at Jericho—or in the neighborhood, after crossing the fords of the Jordan.
2Sa 10:6-14. The Ammonites Overcome.
6-14. when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David—To chastise those insolent and inhospitable Ammonites, who had violated the common law of nations, David sent a large army under the command of Joab, while they, informed of the impending attack, made energetic preparations to repel it by engaging the services of an immense number of Syrian mercenaries.
Beth-rehob—the capital of the low-lying region between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon.
Zoba—(see on 2Sa 8:3).
of king Maacah—His territories lay on the other side of Jordan, near Gilead (De 3:14).
Ish-tob—that is, "the men of Tob"—the place of Jephthah's marauding adventures (see also 1Ch 19:6; Ps 60:1, title). As the Israelite soldiers poured into the Ammonite territory, that people met them at the frontier town of Medeba (1Ch 19:7-9), the native troops covering the city, while the Syrian mercenaries lay at some distance encamped in the fields. In making the attack, Joab divided his forces into two separate detachments—the one of which, under the command of his brother, Abishai, was to concentrate its attack upon the city, while he himself marched against the overwhelming host of mercenary auxiliaries. It was a just and necessary war that had been forced on Israel, and they could hope for the blessing of God upon their arms. With great judgment the battle opened against the mercenaries, who could not stand against the furious onset of Joab, and not feeling the cause their own, consulted their safety by flight. The Ammonites, who had placed their chief dependence upon a foreign aid, then retreated to entrench themselves within the walls of the town.
14. So Joab returned and came to Jerusalem—Probably the season was too far advanced for entering on a siege.
2Sa 10:15-19. The Syrians Defeated.
16. Hadarezer sent and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river—This prince had enjoyed a breathing time after his defeat (2Sa 8:3). But alarmed at the increasing power and greatness of David, as well as being an ally of the Ammonites, he levied a vast army not only in Syria, but in Mesopotamia, to invade the Hebrew kingdom. Shobach, his general, in pursuance of this design, had marched his troops as far as Kelam, a border town of eastern Manasseh, when David, crossing the Jordan by forced marches, suddenly surprised, defeated, and dispersed them. As a result of this great and decisive victory, all the petty kingdoms of Syria submitted and became his tributaries (see on 1Ch 19:1).