2 Samuel 10:1

David Goes to War Against the People of Ammon

1 The king of Ammon died. His son Hanun became the next king after him.

2 Samuel 10:1 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 10:1

And it came to pass after this
After the wars with the Moabites, Syrians, and Edomites, being friendly with the children of Ammon, David sent an embassy to their king, after related; by which it appears what is said concerning the spoils of the children of Ammon, ( 2 Samuel 8:12 ) , is by anticipation; for these spoils were not taken until the following war with them, the occasion of which is here told:

that the king of the children of Ammon died;
whose name was Nahash, as is clear from ( 2 Samuel 10:2 ) , and probably might be the same that came against Jabeshgilead, from whom Saul delivered the inhabitants of that place, ( 1 Samuel 11:1 ) ;

and Hanun his son reigned in his stead;
who, being his son, was heir to his crown, and succeeded him in his kingdom.

2 Samuel 10:1 In-Context

1 The king of Ammon died. His son Hanun became the next king after him.

2 David thought, "I'm going to be kind to Hanun. His father Nahash was kind to me." So David sent messengers to Hanun. He wanted them to tell Hanun how sad he was that Hanun's father had died. David's messengers went to the land of Ammon.

3 The Ammonite nobles spoke to their master Hanun. They said, "David has sent messengers to tell you he is sad. They say he wants to honor your father. But the real reason they've come is to look the city over. They want to destroy it."

4 So Hanun grabbed hold of David's men. He shaved off half of each man's beard. He cut their clothes off just below the waist and left them half naked. Then he sent them away.

5 David was told about it. So he sent messengers to his men because they were filled with shame. King David said to them, "Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out again. Then come back here."