2 Samuel 10:1-4

David and the Ammonites

10:1 Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him. ¹  10:2 David said, “I will express my loyalty ²  to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal ³  to me.” So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father’s death. ⁴  When David’s servants entered the land of the Ammonites, 10:3 the Ammonite officials said to their lord Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? ⁵  No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!” ⁶ 

10:4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved off half of each one’s beard. He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed, ⁷  and then sent them away.

[10:1]  ¹ tn Heb “reigned in his place.”

[10:2]  ² tn Heb “do loyalty.”

[10:2]  ³ tn Heb “did loyalty.”

[10:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “and David sent to console him by the hand of his servants concerning his father.”

[10:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “Is David honoring your father in your eyes when he sends to you ones consoling?”

[10:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “Is it not to explore the city and to spy on it and to overthrow it [that] David has sent his servants to you?”

[10:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “and he cut their robes in the middle unto their buttocks.”