Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Samuel 10
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Samuel 10
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Samuel 10
"And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead." — 2 Samuel 10:1 (ASV)
The king — The marginal reference identifies this king as Nahash. However, the interval between the two events, which is at least 50 years and possibly more, makes it unlikely that he is the same Nahash mentioned in 1 Samuel 11:1–15.
The Ammonites are almost always spoken of as the "children of Ammon," from the name of their first ancestor, Ben-ammi (Genesis 19:38).
Hanun — This name is the equivalent of the Carthaginian Hanno and comes from the same root as the Hebrew names Hananiah, Johanan, and Hannah. The same name appears in composition with Baal in Baal-hanan, an Aramean king mentioned in Genesis 36:38–39.
"And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David`s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon." — 2 Samuel 10:2 (ASV)
The history does not record any instance of Nahash’s kindness to David, but the enmity of the house of Nahash against Saul may have disposed him favorably toward Saul’s enemy, David. Furthermore, if there was any family connection between David’s house and Nahash (2 Samuel 17:25), this may have increased the friendship.
"But the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David sent his servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?" — 2 Samuel 10:3 (ASV)
The princes... — Compare Rehoboam’s advisers (1 Kings 12:10–11). It is not improbable that David’s severe treatment of Moab (2 Samuel 8:2) was partly the cause of the Ammonites’ fear that a similar treatment was in store for them.
"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." — 2 Samuel 10:4 (ASV)
In 1 Chronicles 19:4, it is more concisely stated as being shaved. Cutting off a person’s beard is regarded by Arabs as an indignity equal to flogging and branding in our own culture. The loss of their long garments, so essential to Eastern dignity, was no less insulting than the loss of their beards.
"And when the children of Ammon saw that they were 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 a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men." — 2 Samuel 10:6 (ASV)
Stank — This is a strong figure of speech, meaning to be odious or detested. Compare the marginal references.
The Syrians of Beth-rehob — If this group is identical to the Mesopotamians of 1 Chronicles 19:6, then Beth-rehob is the same as Rehoboth by the river (Genesis 36:37). Others think Beth-rehob (also called Rehob in 2 Samuel 10:8) is the same as the Rehob and Beth-rehob of Numbers 13:21, near Hamath (perhaps the modern ruin of Hunin). If this is the case, Beth-rehob, as well as Tob, must have been a colony of Aram Naharaim (compare the numbers in 1 Chronicles 19:7 with those mentioned here).
Syrians of Zoba — Compare the note on 1 Samuel 14:47.
King Maacah — This should be read as “the king of Maacah” (1 Chronicles 19:6–7). For the location of Maacah, see Deuteronomy 3:14 and Joshua 12:5. It appears to have been a very small state, since its king only brought a thousand men into the field.
Ish-tob — See the marginal note, which indicates this means “the men of Tob.” Tob was the district where Jephthah fled after being driven out by the Gileadites.
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