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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 Dishonor David’s Men

19 (A)Now it happened afterwards, that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon died, and his son became king in his place. So David said, “I will show lovingkindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed lovingkindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon to Hanun to comfort him. But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, “In your eyes, is David honoring your father because he has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?” So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away. Then certain persons went and told David about the men. And he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly dishonored. And the king said, “[a]Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 19:5 Lit Return to