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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”

War with the Ammonites

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

So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. However, when David’s emissaries arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him, the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, “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, overthrow, and spy on the land?” So Hanun took David’s emissaries, shaved them, cut their clothes in half at the hips, and sent them away.(B)

It was reported to David about his men, so he sent messengers to meet them, since the men were deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back; then return.”

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