2 Samuel 10:2

2 And David said: I will shew kindness to Hanon the son of Daas, as his father shewed kindness to me. So David sent his servants to comfort him for the death of his father. But when the servants of David were come into the land of the children of 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 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanon his son reigned in his stead.

2 And David said: I will shew kindness to Hanon the son of Daas, as his father shewed kindness to me. So David sent his servants to comfort him for the death of his father. But when the servants of David were come into the land of the children of Ammon,

3 The princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanon their lord: Thinkest thou that for the honour of thy father, David hath sent comforters to thee, and hath not David rather sent his servants to thee to search, and spy into the city, and overthrow it?

4 Wherefore Hanon took the servants of David, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut away half of their garments even to the buttocks, and sent them away.

5 When this was told David, he sent to meet them: for the men were sadly put to confusion, and David commanded them, saying: Stay at Jericho, till your beards be grown, and then return.