2 Samuel 10:2

2 King David said, "I must show loyal friendship to Hanun, as his father Nahash did to me." So David sent messengers to express his sympathy. When they arrived in Ammon,

2 Samuel 10:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 10:2

Then said David, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of
Nahash
Send him a friendly compliment of condolence on the death of his father:

as his father showed kindness unto me;
when David was persecuted by Saul, he sent him aid, and invited him into his country for protection it may be, and some way or other showed respect unto him; though not out of real love and friendship to David, but in enmity to Saul, who had defeated him at Jabeshgilead, and had often wars with him: the Jews say ^F15 the particular kindness was, that when David left his father, mother, and brethren, with the king of Moab, he slew all but one, who fled to the king of the children of Ammon, and was by him saved alive:

and David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his
father;
for the death of his father; to condole the loss of him, which was the custom of kings in friendship and alliance in former times, and still continues:

and David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon;
even to Rabbah, the metropolis of the nation, and the royal city, where the king kept his court.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Tanchuma apud Jarchium in loc.

2 Samuel 10:2 In-Context

1 Some time later King Nahash of Ammon died, and his son Hanun became king.

2 King David said, "I must show loyal friendship to Hanun, as his father Nahash did to me." So David sent messengers to express his sympathy. When they arrived in Ammon,

3 the Ammonite leaders said to the king, "Do you think that it is in your father's honor that David has sent these men to express sympathy to you? Of course not! He has sent them here as spies to explore the city, so that he can conquer us!"

4 Hanun seized David's messengers, shaved off one side of their beards, cut off their clothes at the hips, and sent them away.

5 They were too ashamed to return home. When David heard about what had happened, he sent word for them to stay in Jericho and not return until their beards had grown again.