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The Ammonites Dishonor David’s Men

10 (A)Now it happened afterwards, that (B)the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son became king in his place. So David said, “I will show lovingkindness to Hanun the son of (C)Nahash, just as his father showed lovingkindness to me.” So David sent to comfort him concerning his father by the hand of his servants. And David’s servants came to the land of the sons of Ammon. But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “In your eyes, is David honoring your father because he has sent comforters to you? (D)Has David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?” So Hanun took David’s servants and (E)shaved off half of their beards, and (F)cut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away. Then they told it to David. 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. 2 Samuel 10:5 Lit Return to

War with the Ammonites

10 Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place.(A) Then David said, “I’ll show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.”

So David sent his emissaries to console Hanun concerning his father. However, when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites, the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent men with condolences for you, do you really believe he’s showing respect for your father? Instead, hasn’t David sent his emissaries in order to scout out the city, spy on it, and demolish it?” (B) So Hanun took David’s emissaries, shaved off half their beards,(C) cut their clothes in half at the hips, and sent them away.(D)

When this was reported to David, he sent someone to meet them, since they were deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back; then return.”

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