David’s Messengers Disgraced
(2 Samuel 10:1–8)
Some time later, Nahash king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son. 2Sa 10:1-191Sa 11:1-21Sa 12:12 And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” 1Sa 30:26Deu 23:3-6Gen 19:37-382Ki 4:132Sa 9:12Sa 9:7Ecc 9:15Est 6:3
So David sent messengers to console Hanun concerning his father. But when David’s servants arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him, the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Have not his servants come to you to explore the land, spy it out, and overthrow it?” 1Co 13:5-71Ki 12:8-111Sa 29:41Sa 29:9Gen 42:9-18Jdg 1:23-24Jdg 18:2Jdg 18:8-10
So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved their beards, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away. 2Sa 10:4-52Ch 36:16Isa 15:2Isa 20:4Isa 47:2-3Jer 41:5Jer 48:37Lev 19:27
When someone came and told David about his men, he sent messengers to meet them, since the men had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.” 1Ki 16:34Jdg 16:22Jos 6:24-26Mat 18:31
When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver 1to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, 2 Aram-maacah, and Zobah. 1Ch 18:51Ch 18:92Sa 10:6Gen 34:301Ki 11:23-241Sa 13:41Sa 14:471Sa 27:12 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, as well as the king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba while the Ammonites came from their cities and marched out for battle. Jos 13:9Num 21:30Jos 13:161Ch 18:41Sa 13:52Ch 14:92Sa 10:6Exo 14:9
On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men. 1Ch 11:10-471Ch 11:62Sa 23:8-39 The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come stayed by themselves in the open country. 1Ki 20:11Ki 20:241Sa 17:22Ch 13:32Ch 14:102Sa 10:82Sa 18:4Isa 28:6
David Defeats Ammon and Aram
(2 Samuel 10:9–19)
When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans. 2Sa 10:9-14Jdg 20:42-43Jos 8:22 And he placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites. 1Ch 18:121Ch 11:201Ch 19:9
“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue. Neh 4:20Php 1:27-28Ecc 4:9-12Gal 6:2 Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.” Psa 27:142Sa 10:12Jos 10:25Neh 4:141Co 16:131Sa 4:91Sa 17:32Deu 31:6-7
So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him. 1Ki 20:131Ki 20:19-211Ki 20:28-302Ch 13:5-16Jer 46:15-16 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Joab’s brother Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem. Lev 26:7Rom 8:31
When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, 3 with Shophach 4the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them. 2Sa 10:16Zec 14:1-3Isa 8:9Mic 4:11-12Psa 2:1
When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced toward the Arameans, and arrayed for battle against them. When David lined up to engage them in battle, they fought against him. 1Ch 19:9Isa 22:6-7 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach the commander of their army. 2Sa 10:181Ch 19:13-14Psa 18:32Psa 33:16Psa 46:11
When Hadadezer’s subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were unwilling to help the Ammonites anymore. 2Sa 10:191Ch 14:171Ki 20:11Ki 20:12Gen 14:4-5Isa 10:8Jos 9:9-11Psa 18:39