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2 Samuel

2 Samuelchapter 10

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David Attacks the Ammonites — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

A.Half a beard and half a garment — kindness answered with insultvv. 1-5

1 Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun. 2 And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent some of his servants to console Hanun concerning his father. But when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites, 3 the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away. 5 When this was reported to David, he sent messengers to meet the men, since they had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”

B.Joab and Abishai back to back against two armiesvv. 6-14

6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob. 7 On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men. 8 The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country. 9 When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans. 10 And he placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites. 11 “If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue. 12 Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.” 13 So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him. 14 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

C.Hadadezer sues for peace; Syria helps Ammon no morevv. 15-19

15 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. 16 Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them. 17 When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought against him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there. 19 When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

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Chapter summary

The same kindness offered abroad is answered with insult.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾

The same kindness offered abroad is answered with insult. David sends comforters to Hanun on the death of his father Nahash; the princes of Ammon persuade the young king they are spies, so he shaves off half their beards, cuts their garments off at the buttocks, and sends them away, and David meets them at Jericho with orders to stay until the beards are grown. Ammon hires Syrians by the tens of thousands, and Joab, caught between two fronts, splits the army with Abishai and speaks the soldier's creed of the book: 'Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Jehovah do that which seemeth him good' (10:12).

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Nathan, Gad — 2 Samuel overview

  • A. 1–5 Half a beard and half a garment — kindness answered with insult
  • B. 6–14 Joab and Abishai back to back against two armies
  • C. 15–19 Hadadezer sues for peace; Syria helps Ammon no more
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • 1 Chronicles 198 verses
    • 1 Chronicles 19:1Some time later, Nahash king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son.
    • 1 Chronicles 19:3the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Have not his servants come to you to explore the land, spy it out, and overthrow it?”
    • 1 Chronicles 19:5When someone came and told David about his men, he sent messengers to meet them, since the men had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”
    • 1 Chronicles 19:8On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men.
    • 1 Chronicles 19:9The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come stayed by themselves in the open country.
    • 1 Chronicles 19:16When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.
    • Read 1 Chronicles 19: 2 more there →
  • 2 Samuel 83 verses
    • 2 Samuel 8:3David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.
    • 2 Samuel 8:5When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand men.
    • 2 Samuel 8:6Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
    • Read 2 Samuel 8 →
  • Genesis 422 verses
    • Genesis 42:9Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”
    • Genesis 42:16Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”
    • Read Genesis 42 →
  • 1 Kings 202 verses
    • 1 Kings 20:13Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
    • 1 Kings 20:28Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
    • Read 1 Kings 20 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • 1 Samuel 111 verse
    • 1 Samuel 11:1Soon Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.”
    • Read 1 Samuel 11 →
  • Judges 101 verse
  • Deuteronomy 231 verse
  • Nehemiah 131 verse
    • Nehemiah 13:1At that time the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people, and in it they found the passage stating that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,
    • Read Nehemiah 13 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.