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David Defeats the Ammonites

19 Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun[a] became king. David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun because his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent messengers to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.

But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the land so they can come in and conquer it!” So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved them, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.

When David heard what had happened to the men, he sent messengers to tell them, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back.” For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.

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Footnotes

  1. 19:1 As in parallel text at 2 Sam 10:1; Hebrew lacks Hanun.

The Ammonites Humiliate David’s Messengers

19 And it happened that after this Nahash the king of the Ammonites[a] died, and his son reigned in his place. And David said, “I will deal kindly with Hanun the son of Nahash because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And the servants of David came to the land of the Ammonites,[b] to Hanun, to comfort him. But the princes of the Ammonites[c] said to Hanun, “Do you think[d] because David sent comforters to you that David honors your father? Is it not for the purpose of exploring so as to overthrow and spy out the land that his servants have come to you?” So Hanun took the servants of David and shaved them and cut off their garments at the middle, up to the buttocks, and sent them away. And they went and told David concerning the men, and he inquired of them, for the men were very disgraced. And the king said, “Dwell in Jericho until your beards grow out; then return.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 19:1 Literally “sons of Ammon”
  2. 1 Chronicles 19:2 Literally “sons of Ammon”
  3. 1 Chronicles 19:3 Literally “sons of Ammon”
  4. 1 Chronicles 19:3 Literally “In your eyes”