And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, 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.
and shaved The {beard} is held in high respect and greatly valued in the East: the possessor considers it as his greatest ornament; often swears by it, and, in matters of great importance, {pledges} it; and nothing can be more secure than such a pledge, for its owner will redeem it at the hazard of his life. The beard was never cut off but in {mourning}, or as a sign of {slavery.} It is customary to shave the Ottoman princes, as a mark of their subjection to the reigning emperor. The beard is a mark of authority and liberty among the Mohammedans. The Persians who clip the beard, and shave above the jaw, are reputed heretics. They who serve in the seraglios have their beards shaven, as a sign of servitude; nor do they suffer them to grow till the sultan has set them at liberty. Among the Arabians, it is more infamous for anyone to appear with his beard cut off, than among us to be publicly whipped or branded; and many would prefer death to such a punishment.
Leviticus 19:27 You shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shall you …
1 Chronicles 19:3,4 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Think you …
Psalm 109:4,5 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself to prayer…
Isaiah 15:2 He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: …
cut off
Isaiah 20:4 So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and …
Isaiah 47:2,3 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover your locks, make bore …
Jeremiah 41:5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, …
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 be grown, and then return.
And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children 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.
stank
Genesis 34:30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, You have troubled me to make me …
Exodus 5:21 And they said to them, The LORD look on you, and judge; because you …
1 Samuel 13:4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines…
1 Samuel 27:12 And Achish believed David, saying, He has made his people Israel …
1 Chronicles 19:6,7 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves …
Syrians of Beth-rehob
2 Samuel 8:3,5,12 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he …
Zobah
Proverbs 25:8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest you know not what to do in the …
Isaiah 8:9,10 Associate yourselves, O you people, and you shall be broken in pieces; …
Maacah
Joshua 13:11-13 And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and …
Ish-tob. or, the men of Tob.
Judges 11:3,5 Then Jephthah fled from his brothers, and dwelled in the land of …
And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.
And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.
Be of good This is a very animating address, and equal to any thing of the kind in ancient or modern times. Ye fight {pro aris et focis;} for every god, sacred and civil; for God, for your families, and for your countries. Such harangues, especially in very trying circumstances, are very natural, and may perhaps be found in the records of every nation. Several instances might be quoted from Roman and Grecian history; but few are more remarkable than that of Tyrteus, the lame Athenian poet, to whom the command of the army was given in one of the Messenian wars. The Spartans had at that time suffered great losses, and all their stratagems proved ineffectual, so that they began to despair of success; when the poet, by his lectures on honour and courage, delivered in moving verse to the army, ravished them to such a degree with the thoughts of dying for their country, that, rushing on with a furious transport to meet their enemies, they gave them an entire overthrow, and by one decisive battle brought the war to a happy conclusion.
Numbers 13:20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be …
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: …
Joshua 1:6,7,9,18 Be strong and of a good courage: for to this people shall you divide …
1 Samuel 14:6,12 And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armor, Come, and …
1 Samuel 17:32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; your …
2 Chronicles 32:7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king …
Nehemiah 4:14 And I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, …
Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not …
play
1 Samuel 4:9 Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O you Philistines, that you …
1 Chronicles 19:13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our …
1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch you, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
the Lord
2 Samuel 16:10,11 And the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? …
Judges 10:15 And the children of Israel said to the LORD, We have sinned: do you …
1 Samuel 3:18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he …
Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I …
And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
A.M.
Psalm 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Isaiah 8:9,10 Associate yourselves, O you people, and you shall be broken in pieces; …
Micah 4:11,12 Now also many nations are gathered against you, that say, Let her …
Zechariah 14:2,3 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the …
Revelation 19:19-21 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, …
And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.
And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.
And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.
And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
servants
Genesis 14:1-5 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch …
Joshua 11:10 And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the …
Judges 1:7 And Adonibezek said, Three score and ten kings, having their thumbs …
1 Kings 20:1 And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and …
Daniel 2:37 You, O king, are a king of kings: for the God of heaven has given …
feared
2 Samuel 8:6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became …
1 Chronicles 19:19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the …
Psalm 18:37,38 I have pursued my enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn …
Psalm 48:4,5 For, see, the kings were assembled, they passed by together…
Isaiah 26:11 LORD, when your hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall …
Revelation 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas …
