2 Samuel 10:4
2 Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob twelve thousand men.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.
- KJV
- Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
- WEB
- So 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.
- ASV
- So Hanun took David`s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
- DARBY
- And Hanun took David's servants, and had the one half of their beards shaved off, and their raiment cut off in the midst, as far as their buttocks, and sent them away.
- BLB
- And Hanun took the servants of David and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle at their buttocks, and sent them away.
- ÅB
- Da tok Hanun Davids tjenere og raket av halvdelen av deres skjegg og skar av deres klær midt på like til setet og lot dem så fare.
- OTB
- Så Hanun grep Davids tjenere, barberte av dem halve skjegget, klippet av dem klærne ved hoftene, og sendte dem bort.
- B1930
- Da tok Hanun Davids tjenere og raket av halvdelen av deres skjegg og skar av deres klær midt på like til setet og lot dem så fare.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 20:4
So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.
Read in contextJeremiah 41:5
That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.
Read in context1 Chronicles 19:3–4
But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?
Read in contextIsaiah 15:2
He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.
Read in contextPsalms 109:4–5
For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
Read in contextLeviticus 19:27
Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.
Read in context