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2 Samuel
Chapter Ten
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 10
This
chapter gives an account of the ill treatment of David's messengers to the king
of Ammon
who were sent to condole the death of his father
and were basely
used by him
which David resented
2 Samuel 10:1;
which the Ammonites perceiving prepared for war
and got the Syrians to be
confederates with them; of which David being informed
sent Joab and Abishai
into their country
2 Samuel 10:6; who
divided the army between them
and attacked the Ammonites and Syrians with
great courage
and routed them both
and returned to Jerusalem
2 Samuel 10:9;
after which the Syrians gathered together again to fight with David
who went
out to meet them
and got an entire conquest over them
and made them servants
to him
2 Samuel 10:15.
2 Samuel 10:1 It
happened after this that the king of the people of Ammon died
and Hanun his
son reigned in his place.
YLT
1And it cometh to pass
afterwards
that the king of the Bene-Ammon dieth
and Hanun his son reigneth
in his stead
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 10:2 2 Then David said
“I will
show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash
as his father showed kindness to me.”
So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father.
And David’s servants came into the land of the people of Ammon.
YLT
2and David saith
`I do
kindness with Hanun son of Nahash
as his father did with me kindness;' and
David sendeth to comfort him by the hand of his servants concerning his father
and the servants of David come in to the land of the Bene-Ammon.
Then said David
I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash
.... Send him
a friendly compliment of condolence on the death of his father:
as his father showed kindness unto me; when David
was persecuted by Saul
he sent him aid
and invited him into his country for
protection it may be
and some way or other showed respect unto him; though not
out of real love and friendship to David
but in enmity to Saul
who had
defeated him at Jabeshgilead
and had often wars with him: the Jews sayF15Tanchuma
apud Jarchium in loc. the particular kindness was
that when David left his
father
mother
and brethren
with the king of Moab
he slew all but one
who
fled to the king of the children of Ammon
and was by him saved alive:
and David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his
father; for the death of his father; to condole the loss of him
which
was the custom of kings in friendship and alliance in former times
and still
continues:
and David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon; even to
Rabbah
the metropolis of the nation
and the royal city
where the king kept
his court.
2 Samuel 10:3 3 And the princes of the
people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord
“Do you think that David really
honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather
sent his servants to you to search the city
to spy it out
and to overthrow it?”
YLT
3And the heads of the
Bene-Ammon say unto Hanun their lord
`Is David honouring thy father in thine
eyes because he hath sent to thee comforters? for to search the city
and to
spy it
and to overthrow it
hath not David sent his servants unto thee?'
And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord
.... His
nobles and prime ministers
the courtiers that were about him:
thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father
that he hath sent
comforters unto thee? could he imagine that David was sincere
and that he really
meant to do honour to the memory of his father
and comfort him under the loss
of him
by sending his ambassadors to him on such an errand? there was no
reason
they thought
to believe this
since an Israelite was forbidden to seek
their peace and prosperity
or ask of it
nor might Ammonite enter into their
congregation unto the tenth generation
Deuteronomy 23:3;
and indeed some have thought that David did not do a right thing in sending
this embassy
and was justly requited; but it is certain he acted according to
the laws of friendship
and was cordial and sincere in what he did
though
these courtiers of Hanun put an ill construction on his conduct
their minds
being filled with enmity against the Israelites:
hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee to search
the city
and to spy it out
and to overthrow it? to
reconnoitre the place
to observe
as they walked about in it
which were the
weakest and most defenceless parts of it
and what avenues there were to it
and which were most accessible
that they might the better know how to attack
it
and destroy it; these surmises and suspicions they endeavoured to fill the
king's head with
to set him against them
and treat them ill.
2 Samuel 10:4 4 Therefore Hanun took
David’s servants
shaved off half of their beards
cut off their garments in
the middle
at their buttocks
and sent them away.
YLT
4And Hanun taketh the
servants of David
and shaveth off the half of their beard
and cutteth off
their long robes in the midst -- unto their buttocks
and sendeth them away;
Wherefore Hanun took David's servants
.... His
ambassadors:
and shaved off one half of their beards; that is
he
ordered them to be shaved off; than which a greater indignity could not have
been well done to them and to David
whom they represented
since the
Israelites shaved not their beards
and were very careful of preserving them;
for had it been the custom to shave
they might have shaved off the other half
and then they would not have appeared so ridiculous; and with other people it
has been reckoned a very great punishment as well could be inflicted
and as
great an affront as could well be offered
to mar a man's beard
or shave it
off in whole or in partF16Apollon. Vit. Philostrat. l. 7. c. 14. .
The Lacedemonians
as PlutarchF17In Agesitao. relates
when any fled
from battle
used
by way of reproach
to shave off part of their beards
and
let the other part grow long; and with the Indians
as Bishop Patrick observes
from an ancient writer
the king used to order the greatest offenders to be
shaven
as the heaviest punishment he could inflict upon them; but what comes
nearest to the case here is what the same learned commentator quotes from
Tavernier
who in his Indian Travels tells us
that the sophi of Persia caused
an ambassador of Aurengzeb to have his beard shaved off
telling him he was not
worthy to wear a beard
and thereupon commanded it should be shaved off; which
affront offered him in the person of his ambassador was most highly resented by
Aurengzeb
as this was by David:
and cut off their garments in the middle
even to their
buttocks; and as they wore long garments in those countries
without any
breeches or drawers under them
those parts by these means were exposed to view
which modesty requires should be concealedF18"Dimidiasque nates
Gallica palla tegit". Martial. ; so that they must be put to the utmost
shame and confusion:
and sent them away; in this ridiculous manner
scoffing and
leering at them no doubt; that since they came with compliments of condolence
it was proper they should appear in the habit of mourners
with their beards
shaved
and their garments rent; cutting of garments
and standing in them from
morning tonight
was a punishment of soldiers with the Romans
when they
offendedF19Valer. Maxim. l. 2. c. 2. .
2 Samuel 10:5 5 When they told David
he
sent to meet them
because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said
“Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown
and then return.”
YLT
5and they declare [it] to
David
and he sendeth to meet them
for the men have been greatly ashamed
and
the king saith
`Abide in Jericho till your beard doth spring up -- then ye
have returned.'
When they told it unto David
.... Not the ambassadors
for they were not yet arrived
but some of their servants
perhaps
they sent
before them to acquaint David of the usage they had met with:
he sent to meet them: he sent men to meet them
with proper garments to put on
and to assure them how much he resented the
indignity done to them and him
and would avenge it in due and proper time
and
to direct them where to go for the present
as follows:
because the men were greatly ashamed: to proceed on
their journey
and come to court in the condition they were:
and the king said; gave orders by the messengers he sent to
them:
tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown
or
"bud"F20יצמח
"germinet"
Pagninus
Montanus. :
and then return; that is
to Jerusalem;
Jericho
though not yet built
might have some cottages at or near the spot on
which it had stood
for the convenience of shepherds
and gatherers of fruit
in the plains of it; here the ambassadors were directed to go
it being the
first place they came to when they had passed over Jordan
from the country of
Ammon; and being a place where there were scarcely any inhabitants
or very
few
was very proper for them in their present circumstances; and this confirms
what is before observed
that it was now the custom of the Israelites not to
shave their whole beards; or otherwise it was but shaving off the other half
and being now provided with other clothes
they would have had no need to have
stayed at Jericho
but might have proceeded on in their journey.
2 Samuel 10:6 6 When the people of Ammon
saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David
the people of Ammon sent
and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zoba
twenty thousand
foot soldiers; and from the king of Maacah one thousand men
and from Ish-Tob
twelve thousand men.
YLT
6And the Bene-Ammon see that
they have been abhorred by David
and the Bene-Ammon send and hire Aram of
Beth-Rehob
and Aram of Zoba
twenty thousand footmen
and the king of Maacah
[with] a thousand men
and Ish-Tob [with] twelve thousand men;
And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David
.... Or had
made themselves odious to him
as it is rendered in 1 Chronicles 19:6;
were abominable to him
that he was incensed against them
and enraged at them
and was determined to be avenged on them for the affront given
of which they
had certain information: but instead of seeking to appease him
and give him
satisfaction for the affront:
the children of Ammon sent
and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob; a place near
Hamath
Numbers 13:21;
there was a city of this name in the tribe of Asher
out of which the
Canaanites could not be driven
and perhaps now inhabited by Syrians
or by a
people so called
Joshua 19:28
and the Syrians of Zoba
twenty thousand footmen: that is
out
of both places; this place Hadadezer was king of
with whom David had fought
before
and beat
and who owed him a grudge on that account
and was ready to
assist the Ammonites against him
2 Samuel 8:3
and of King Maacah a thousand men; that is
of the king of
Maacah
which was a place in the tribe off Manasseh
from whence the
inhabitants could not be expelled
Joshua 13:11; and
seems now to have been inhabited by Syrians
and therefore is called
Syriamaachah
1 Chronicles 19:6
and of Ishtob twelve thousand men; which is thought to be
the same with the land of Tob
whither Jephthah fled
and dwelt in it
when ill
used by his brethren
Judges 11:3; these
mercenary soldiers were in all thirty three thousand men; 1 Chronicles 19:6
it is said
chariots and horsemen
even thirty two thousand; these were hired
with a thousand talents of silver.
2 Samuel 10:7 7 Now when David heard of
it
he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.
YLT
7and David heareth
and
sendeth Joab
and all the host -- the mighty men.
And when David heard of it
.... Of the preparation
made by the Ammonites to fight with him:
he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men: he sent out
Joab his general
and an army under his command
consisting of men of strength
valour
and courage; or all the host and the mighty men
as Kimchi and Ben
Melech
the famous mighty men mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:8; he
did not think it advisable to wait for the Ammonites
but carried the war into
their own country
and
instead of suffering them to invade his dominions
he
invaded theirs.
2 Samuel 10:8 8 Then the people of Ammon
came out and put themselves in battle array at the entrance of the gate. And
the Syrians of Zoba
Beth Rehob
Ish-Tob
and Maacah were by themselves
in the field.
YLT
8And the Bene-Ammon come
out
and set battle in array
at the opening of the gate
and Aram of Zoba
and
Rehob
and Ish-Tob
and Maacah
[are] by themselves in the field;
And the children of Ammon came out
.... Either out of Rabbah
their metropolis
as JosephusF21Antiqu. l. 7. c. 6. sect. 2. ; or
rather out of Medeba
as it seems from 1 Chronicles 19:7;
a city that lay on the borders of their country
and was a frontier town
see Numbers 21:30;
and put the battle in array
at the entering in of the gate; of the city
of Medeba; they were first within the city
but
upon the approach of Joab and
his army
they came out and drew up in a line of battle at the gate of it:
and the Syrians of Zoba
and of Rehob
and Ishtob
and Maacah
were
by themselves in the field; at some distance from the city
the
Ammonites not choosing to trust: mercenaries in it; and perhaps they placed
these ambush in the field
to get Joab between two fires
as we now express it.
2 Samuel 10:9 9 When Joab saw that the
battle line was against him before and behind
he chose some of Israel’s best
and put them in battle array against the Syrians.
YLT
9and Joab seeth that the
front of the battle hath been unto him before and behind
and he chooseth of
all the chosen in Israel
and setteth in array to meet Aram
When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and
behind
.... Or "the face" of itF23פני "facies"
Pagninus
Montanus. ; armies
appeared both before and behind
about to attack him both in front and rear;
the Targum is
"and Joab saw that the warriors
or those that made war
were strong against him before and behind:"
he chose of all the choice men of Israel; the most
eminent for strength
and valour
and military skill
who had been tried
and
were famous for warlike exploits
the flower of the army:
and put them in array against the Syrians; who might be
the strongest party
and the best soldiers; though being but mercenaries
if
hard beset
would sooner give way
as he might suppose
upon which the
Ammonites would do the same.
2 Samuel 10:10 10 And the rest of the people
he put under the command of Abishai his brother
that he might set them
in battle array against the people of Ammon.
YLT
10and the rest of the people
he hath given into the hand of Abishai his brother
and setteth in array to
meet the Bene-Ammon.
And the rest of the people he delivered into the hands of Abishai
his brother
.... Who was a commander under him
and a very valiant man; and
thus
as his enemy had two armies
he divided his into two parts
that he might
the better attack them:
that he might put them in array against the children of
Ammon: draw them up in a line
place them rank and file to meet the
children of Ammon
and give them battle.
2 Samuel 10:11 11 Then he said
“If the
Syrians are too strong for me
then you shall help me; but if the people of
Ammon are too strong for you
then I will come and help you.
YLT
11And he saith
`If Aram be
stronger than I
then thou hast been to me for salvation
and if the Bene-Ammon
be stronger than thou
then I have come to give salvation to thee;
And he said
if the Syrians be too strong for me
.... Which he
might perceive by Joab's forces giving way
or by some signal agreed on between
them
then thou shall help me; detach a part of his
army to his support and assistance:
but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee
then I will
come and help thee; in the same manner.
2 Samuel 10:12 12 Be of good courage
and
let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is
good in His sight.”
YLT
12be strong and strengthen
thyself for our people
and for the cities of our God
and Jehovah doth that
which is good in His eyes.'
Be of good courage
and let us play the men
.... This Joab
said
not only to encourage Abishai and himself
but in the hearing of the rest
of the officers of the army
and of many of the people
to hearten them to the
battle; who might be somewhat intimidated with the number of their enemies
and
the position they were in
being before and behind them; and therefore he
thought proper to make such a speech to them to animate them to light:
for our people
and for the cities of our God; that the
people of Israel might not be carried captive
and their cities spoiled and
plundered; and instead of being cities where the people of God dwelt
and he
was worshipped
would
if taken
become the habitations of idolatrous Heathens
and where temples would be erected to idols
and the worship of them; these
were the arguments he used to engage them to fight manfully for their country
the liberties and religion of it:
and the Lord do that which seemeth him good: tacitly
suggesting that victory was of the Lord
and that it became them to do their
part in fighting courageously
and leave the issue to the Lord
on whom alone
success depended.
2 Samuel 10:13 13 So Joab and the people who
were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians
and they
fled before him.
YLT
13And Joab draweth nigh
and
the people who [are] with him
to battle against Aram
and they flee from his
presence;
And Joab drew nigh
and the people that were with him
unto the
battle against the Syrians
.... Fell upon them; attacked them first
began the battle with them; rightly judging
that if they
being hired
soldiers
were closely pressed
they would give way
which would discourage the
Ammonites
who depended much upon them; and the fight
according to JosephusF24Ut
supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 6. sect. 2.)
lasted some little time
who says
that
Joab killed many of them
and obliged the rest to turn their backs and flee
as
follows:
and they fled before him: the Syriac and Arabic
versions in this verse
and in all others in this chapter where the word
"Syrians" is used
have "Edomites"
reading
"Edom" instead of "Aram"
the letters ר
"R" and ד "D" in the Hebrew
tongue being very similar.
2 Samuel 10:14 14 When the people of Ammon
saw that the Syrians were fleeing
they also fled before Abishai
and entered
the city. So Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went to Jerusalem.
YLT
14and the Bene-Ammon have
seen that Aram hath fled
and they flee from the presence of Abishai
and go in
to the city; and Joab turneth back from the Bene-Ammon
and cometh in to
Jerusalem.
And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled
.... In whom
they put great confidence:
then they fled also before Abishai; without engaging at all
with him
as it seems:
and entered into the city; out of which they came
either Rabbah or Medeba
for their safety:
so Joab returned from the children of Ammon; did not stay
to lay siege to their city
the season of the year not being proper for it
winter drawing near; see 2 Samuel 11:1
and came to Jerusalem; in triumph
to report to
David the victory he had obtained.
2 Samuel 10:15 15 When the Syrians saw that
they had been defeated by Israel
they gathered together.
YLT
15And Aram seeth that it is
smitten before Israel
and they are gathered together;
And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel
....
Considered it in their minds
and conversed with one another about it
and
fearing what would be the consequence of it:
they gathered themselves together; not only the forces got
together again
that fled before Joab
but all the kings of Syria united their
forces together
as appears from 2 Samuel 10:19;
supposing that David would avenge himself on them for assisting the Ammonites
against him; and therefore judged it advisable to raise a large army
that they
might be in a condition to receive him.
2 Samuel 10:16 16 Then Hadadezer[a] sent and
brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River
[b] and they
came to Helam. And Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army went before
them.
YLT
16and Hadadezer sendeth
and
bringeth out Aram which [is] beyond the River
and they come in to Helam
and
Shobach head of the host of Hadadezer [is] before them.
And Hadarezer sent
.... The same with Hadadezer
2 Samuel 8:3
who
was at the head of this confederacy
and to whom the rest of the kings of Syria
were servants
2 Samuel 10:19
and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river; the river
Phrat or Euphrates
as the Targum; so the Arabic version and JosephusF25Ut
supra
(Antiqu. l. 7. c. 6.) sect. 3.
who says
that he hired them:
and they came to Helam; which
according to the
same writer
was king of the Syrians beyond Euphrates; but it seems to be the
name of a place
where was the general rendezvous of the Syrian army. Junius
conjectures that it is the same with the Alamatha of PtolemyF26Geograph.
l. 5. c. 15.
which he places with the Trachonite Arabs near the Euphrates:
and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went
before them: before the whole combined army
which according to JosephusF1Ut
supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 6. sect. 3.)
consisted of eighty thousand foot
and
ten thousand horse: this general is called Shophach
1 Chronicles 19:16 the
letters "B" and "P" being of the same pronunciation in the
Hebrew tongue
as Kimchi observes
though it is there read "Shobach"
in the Syriac and Arabic versions; he was no doubt a very able
valiant
and
skilful general
since he is particularly mentioned by name
and whose name was
then famous; the Arabic version calls him a spear bearer of Hadarezer.
2 Samuel 10:17 17 When it was told David
he
gathered all Israel
crossed over the Jordan
and came to Helam. And the
Syrians set themselves in battle array against David and fought with him.
YLT
17And it is declared to
David
and he gathereth all Israel
and passeth over the Jordan
and cometh in
to Helam
and Aram setteth itself in array to meet David
and they fight with
him;
And when it was told David
.... What preparations
the Syrians were making to fight him
and where they were:
he gathered all Israel together; all the fighting men in
the country:
and passed over Jordan
and came to Helam: which
according to BuntingF2Travels
&c. p. 140
141.
was twenty
miles from Jerusalem. David seems to have gone himself in person to this war:
and the Syrians set themselves in array against David
and fought
with him; they formed themselves in a line of battle
and attacked him
first
being eager to fight
and perhaps confident of victory
because of their
numbers.
2 Samuel 10:18 18 Then the Syrians fled
before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand
horsemen of the Syrians
and struck Shobach the commander of their army
who
died there.
YLT
18and Aram fleeth from the
presence of Israel
and David slayeth of Aram seven hundred charioteers
and
forty thousand horsemen
and Shobach head of its host he hath smitten
and he
dieth there.
And the Syrians fled before Israel
.... After an obstinate
and bloody fight between them:
and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the
Syrians; the word "men" is rightly supplied
for chariots could
not be said to be slain
but the men in them; in 1 Chronicles 19:17
they are said to be seven thousand
here seven hundred; which may be reconciled
by observing
that here the chariots that held the men are numbered
there the
number of the men that were in the chariots given
and reckoning ten men in a
chariot
seven hundred chariots held just seven thousand men; though Kimchi
takes another way of reconciling the two places
by observing that here only
the choicest chariots are mentioned
there all of them
but the former way
seems best:
and forty thousand horsemen; in 1 Chronicles 19:17;
it is forty thousand "footmen"
and so JosephusF3Ut supra.
(Antiqu. l. 7. c. 6. sect. 3.) ; and the same may be called both horse and
foot
be cause though they might come into the field of battle on horseback
yet might dismount and fight on foot; and so one historian calls them horsemen
and the other footmen; or the whole number of the slain
horse and foot mixed
together
were forty thousand; Kimchi makes use of another way of removing this
difficulty
and which perhaps is the best
that here only the horsemen are
numbered that were slain
and there the footmen only
and both true; an equal
number of each being slain
in all eighty thousand
besides the seven thousand
in the chariots:
and smote Shobach the captain of their host
who died there; of his wounds
upon the spot.
2 Samuel 10:19 19 And when all the kings who
were servants to Hadadezer[c] saw that
they were defeated by Israel
they made peace with Israel and served them. So
the Syrians were afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore.
YLT
19And all the kings --
servants of Hadadezer -- see that they have been smitten before Israel
and
make peace with Israel
and serve them; and Aram is afraid to help any more the
Bene-Ammon.
And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer
.... That were
subject to him
and at his beck and command
at least were hired by him into
his service:
saw that they were smitten before Israel; could not
stand their ground against them
being too powerful for them:
they made peace with Israel
and served them; became
tributaries to them
whereby the promise of the land of Canaan made to Abraham
and his seed
as reaching to the river Euphrates
had its accomplishment
Genesis 15:18
so the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more; who standing
by themselves
they were soon and easily conquered by David's forces
as
recorded in the following chapters.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)