2 Samuel 10:1

David and the Ammonites

10:1 Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him. ¹ 

2 Samuel 10:4

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, ²  and then sent them away.

2 Samuel 10:2-3

10:2 David said, “I will express my loyalty ³  to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal ⁴  to me.” So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father’s death. ⁵  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? ⁶  No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!” ⁷ 

¹ tn Heb “reigned in his place.”

² tn Heb “and he cut their robes in the middle unto their buttocks.”

³ tn Heb “do loyalty.”

⁴ tn Heb “did loyalty.”

⁵ tn Heb “and David sent to console him by the hand of his servants concerning his father.”

⁴ tn Heb “Is David honoring your father in your eyes when he sends to you ones consoling?”

⁵ 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?”