2 Samuel 10

2 Samuel 10:1

J±ND it came to. pass after this 9 that the king of the children ofAmmon died. Who, it appears by the next verse, was Nahash: to whom Saul gave a very great defeat at Jabesh-Gilead, (I Sam. xi.) And Hanun his son reigned in his stead.] For it seems that was an hereditary kingdom, as most were in those countries and times.

2 Samuel 10:2

Then said David, I voill shew kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, for his father shewed kindness unto me. All generous minds are full of gratitude and compassion, as Strigelius here observes out of several heathen authors. But there is no example of it greater than in David, who remembers ancient benefits received from Nahasb, and pitied his son who had lost such a father. What those..benefits were is uncertain. Some of the Jews say he fled to him, when he durst not stay with Achish, and he received him kindly; others, that he entertained his relations, when the king of Moab, to whom David committed them, slew some of them: but it is most probable, that, being an enemy to Saul, who had given him a great overthrow, he proved a friend to David when he was persecuted by.him, and sent him relief and assistance, and perhaps offered him his protection.. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father.] According to the present custom among princes, who send some of their courtiers to condole the loss of those with whom they live in friendship. And David’s servants came into the land of the childrenof Ammon.] Where they had audience of Hanun, arid delivered their message: which his court sinistrously interpreted,, as appears by the next verse.

2 Samuel 10:3

And the princes of the children of Ammon. Who bare a great sway in all public affairs. Said unto Hanun their lord, TJiinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee?] They measured his affection by their own: who having no kindness for David, imagined he had as little for them..Hath not David rather sent his servants to search the city, and to spy it out?] Nothing so w T ell meant but may be ill interpreted; and is wont to be so by men who love nobody but themselves! To overthrow it.] They persuade him that these ambassadors came only to observe where the city was weakest, and might be most successfully assaulted and taken.

2 Samuel 10:4

Wherefore Hanun took David*s servants, and shaved off one half of their beards. Ho was not only very credulous, but very ill natured; for otherwise he would have civilly dismissed them, whatsoever his courtiers suspected, or kept them in an honourable custody till the truth had been discovered. But this was the highest disgrace that could be put upon them: for all people thought their hair a great ornament, and never shaved their heads or their beards but in case of mourning: which was forbid to the Israelites, (Lev. xix. 27. Deut. xiv. 1.) And therefore, when he had caused one half of their beards to be cut off, they abhorred to cut the other; which made them look ridiculously. (Sec Isa. xv. 2. Jcr. xli. 5- xlviii. 37.) We learn what a foul disgrace, yea, a heavy punishment, this was in ancient times, from Nicolaus Damascenus, mentioned by Stobseus,’tit. 42. w r ho says; that among the Indians the king commanded the greatest offenders to be shaven, KcAtutf tcdpaaSat tog la-)(arr\q 7tn<opiag, as the heaviest punishment he could inflict upon them.’ And Tacitus saith, that there were few adulteresses among the ancient Germans, whose punishment was left to the husbands: and they were wont to cut off their hair, and turn them naked out of doors, and whip them through the streets. (See Georg. Ritterhusius de Jure Asylorum, cap. 10.) And at this day this is the greatest indignity that can be offered to any man in Persia, to cause his beard to be shaved off: as Tavernier relates in his Indian Travels, p. 121. where he tells us the sophi caused an ambassador of Aurengzebe to be thus used, telling him he was not worthy to weaT a beard, arid thereupon commanded it to be. shaved oft". Which was just like this act of Hanun. And Aurengzebe most highly resented the affront that was offered him in the person of his ambassador, as David did this which was offered him in his. And cut their garments to the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.] Long garments down to the heels were worn in those countries, especially by honourable persons: and therefore the king of Ammon still put a further indignity upon them, in cutting their garments short, even to the middle: whereby those parts were exposed: which required to be covered. For the Israelites did not, wear breeches, as we do: so that their long garments being cut to the middle, their nakedness might be seen. (See Isa. xx. 4.)

2 Samuel 10:5

And when they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because they were greatly ashamed. Therefore he sent, no doubt, clothes to cover them, together with the following advice. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho.] Which was the first place to which they came in the land of Canaan: and now a private village, where they might obscure themselves, till they were fit to appear in public. Until your beards be grown, and then return.] For it was a reproach in that country to have no beard. And though it was well known how they came to be deprived of them, yet it was not fit that persons of their quality should appear unlike all other men. Ver. G. And when the children ofAmmon saw that they stank before David,] They wanted not intelligence how heinously David resented the barbarous usage of his ambassadors: which is expressed by a phrase, which signifies that they were become very odious to him. (See Gen. xxxiv. 30.) T/ie children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob.] They distrusted their own strength, and therefore hired auxiliary forces of their neighbours: particularly those of Beth-rehob, which was a city belonging to the Canaanites rather than the Syrians (as Bochart observes), who were only borderers upon it. v And the Syrians ofZobah, twenty thousand footmen.] Concerning Zobah, see viii. 3. And of king Maacah a thousand men.] Maacah also was a city in Palestine, beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Manasseh, as Itehob was in the tribe of Asher, (Josh. xiii. 11. xix. 28.) but the Canaanites kept them out of the possession of both, (Josh. xiii. 13, Judg. i. 31.) Therefore Bpchartus confutes