2 Samuel 10:4

4 Therefore, Hanun took David’s slaves and shaved off the one half of their beards and cut off their garments in the middle even to their buttocks and sent them away.

2 Samuel 10:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 10:4

Wherefore Hanun took David's servants
His ambassadors:

and shaved off one half of their beards;
that is, he ordered them to be shaved off; than which a greater indignity could not have been well done to them and to David, whom they represented, since the Israelites shaved not their beards, and were very careful of preserving them; for had it been the custom to shave, they might have shaved off the other half, and then they would not have appeared so ridiculous; and with other people it has been reckoned a very great punishment as well could be inflicted, and as great an affront as could well be offered, to mar a man's beard, or shave it off in whole or in part ^F16. The Lacedemonians, as Plutarch ^F17 relates, when any fled from battle, used, by way of reproach, to shave off part of their beards, and let the other part grow long; and with the Indians, as Bishop Patrick observes from an ancient writer, the king used to order the greatest offenders to be shaven, as the heaviest punishment he could inflict upon them; but what comes nearest to the case here is what the same learned commentator quotes from Tavernier, who in his Indian Travels tells us, that the sophi of Persia caused an ambassador of Aurengzeb to have his beard shaved off, telling him he was not worthy to wear a beard, and thereupon commanded it should be shaved off; which affront offered him in the person of his ambassador was most highly resented by Aurengzeb, as this was by David:

and cut off their garments in the middle, [even] to their buttocks;
and as they wore long garments in those countries, without any breeches or drawers under them, those parts by these means were exposed to view which modesty requires should be concealed ^F18; so that they must be put to the utmost shame and confusion:

and sent them away;
in this ridiculous manner, scoffing and leering at them no doubt; that since they came with compliments of condolence, it was proper they should appear in the habit of mourners, with their beards shaved, and their garments rent; cutting of garments, and standing in them from morning tonight, was a punishment of soldiers with the Romans, when they offended ^F19.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Apollon. Vit. Philostrat. l. 7. c. 14.
F17 In Agesitao.
F18 "Dimidiasque nates Gallica palla tegit". Martial.
F19 Valer. Maxim. l. 2. c. 2.

2 Samuel 10:4 In-Context

2 Then David said, I will show mercy unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed mercy unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his slaves for his father. And David’s slaves came into the land of the sons of Ammon.

3 And the princes of the sons of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Does it appear unto thee that David has sent comforters unto thee to honour thy father? Has not David rather sent his slaves unto thee to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?

4 Therefore, Hanun took David’s slaves and shaved off the one half of their beards and cut off their garments in the middle even to their buttocks and sent them away.

5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them because the men were greatly ashamed, and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards are grown and then return.

6 And when the sons of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.