2 Samuel 10: Hanun shames David's servants, and Israel defeats Ammon and the Syrians
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
When the king of the Ammonites dies, David sends his servants to comfort his son Hanun, to show him kindness as his father Nahash showed kindness to David. But Hanun's leaders tell him that David has sent them to spy out the city, so Hanun shaves off half of their beards, cuts their garments off at the middle, and sends them away, and David tells them to wait at Jericho until their beards grow back. The Ammonites hire Syrian soldiers and men of Maacah and Tob. Joab and his brother Abishai divide the army between them, and the Syrians and the Ammonites run. The Syrians gather again under Hadadezer's commander Shobach, and David crosses the Jordan, defeats them at Helam and kills Shobach, and the kings who served Hadadezer make peace with Israel.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words in this chapter. David speaks in verse 2 and gives his order to the shamed men in verse 5. The leaders of the Ammonites speak to Hanun in verse 3. Joab speaks to Abishai in verses 11 and 12; "may Yahweh do what seems good to him" in verse 12 is Joab's own words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1After this, the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.
In plain English: After this, the king of the Ammonites (this Bible: the children of Ammon) died, and his son Hanun became king in his place.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
2David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
In plain English: David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent his servants to comfort him about his father, and David's servants came into the land of the Ammonites.
Good to know: In Saul's day "Nahash the Ammonite" camped against Jabesh Gilead ( and ), and calls him "Nahash the king of the children of Ammon". The text does not say whether Hanun's father is the same man, or what kindness he had shown David. "Kindness" is chesed, the word explained in the note on .
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”
In plain English: But the leaders (this Bible: princes) of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to comfort you? Has David not sent his servants to you to explore the city, spy it out and overthrow it?"
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
4So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
In plain English: So Hanun took David's servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut their garments off in the middle, as far as their buttocks, and sent them away.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
5When they told David this, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”
In plain English: When David was told, he sent men to meet them, because the men were deeply ashamed. The king said, "Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then come back."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
6When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.
In plain English: When the Ammonites saw that they had become hateful (literally: had made themselves stink) to David, they sent and hired the Syrians (Hebrew: Aram) of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and twelve thousand men of Tob.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
7When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.
In plain English: When David heard of it, he sent Joab and the whole army of the mighty men (or: the whole army, the mighty men).
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
8The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
In plain English: The Ammonites came out and lined up for battle at the entrance of the gate. The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the open field.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
9Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians.
In plain English: When Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind, he chose some from all the best men of Israel and lined them up against the Syrians.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
10The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon.
In plain English: The rest of the people he put under the command (literally: into the hand) of his brother Abishai, and he lined them up against the Ammonites.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
11He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.
In plain English: Joab said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you help me (literally: be my rescue). But if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help (or: save) you.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
12Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God; and may Yahweh do what seems good to him.”
In plain English: Be strong, and let us show ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may Yahweh do what seems good to him (literally: what is good in his eyes)."
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
13So Joab and the people who were with him came near to the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him.
In plain English: So Joab and the people with him drew near to fight against the Syrians, and the Syrians ran away from him.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
14When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.
In plain English: When the Ammonites saw that the Syrians had run away, they also ran from Abishai and went into the city. Then Joab came back from the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
15When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.
In plain English: When the Syrians saw that they had been beaten by Israel, they gathered together.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
16Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River; and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head.
In plain English: Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River. They came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer's army leading them (literally: before them).
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
17David was told that; and he gathered all Israel together, passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David and fought with him.
In plain English: David was told, and he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians lined up against David and fought with him.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
18The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, so that he died there.
In plain English: The Syrians ran away from Israel. David killed seven hundred chariot men (or: chariots) of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen, and he struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there.
Good to know: tells of the same battle with other numbers: David "killed of the Syrian men seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand footmen". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has here "seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen". The text does not say how the numbers fit together. "Charioteers" here is rekeb, which the dictionary gives as "a vehicle; by implication, a team; by extension, cavalry", so it can mean the chariots or the men in them.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.
19When all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.
In plain English: When all the kings who served Hadadezer saw that they had been beaten by Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the Ammonites any more.
Show the HebrewHide the Hebrew
How to say it (the stressed part in bold), the Hebrew word, and what it means. Tap a word with a dotted line to open its word study.