|
|
2 Samuel Chapter 10
David Defeats Ammon and Syria
- 2Samuel 10:1 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 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?
David had to fight many wars but now it
seems he wants also to honor and show kindness to those that were
kind to him or one of his family members, and even showed kindness
to Jabeshgilead when they took down the bodies of Saul and Jonathan
after the Philistines hung them on a wall. This is recorded in 1
Samuel Chapter 31.
We see here though that some stirred up the spirit of fear in
Hanun warning him not to trust David. So this war was actually started by the
people of Ammon after they allowed themselves to mistrust David.
-
2Samuel 10:4 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.
Some people are too naive and trusting
while others our overly suspicious and fearful. The solution for
these human traits is to trust completely in the Lord and walk in
His Holy Spirit, praying and studying diligently His word. We then
can ask His direction before doing something stupid like this. Back
then was before Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit but
they could have just asked the men to leave, not treat them like
this. Shaving off the beard was insulting because beards where a
symbol of being strong men. This was so insulting and mean for them
to do and the result is to cause more death.
-
2Samuel 10:5 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.
David shows compassion on these men
here and allows them to go into hiding until their beards are grown.
Clothes can be changed but the beard takes time to grow.
-
2Samuel 10:6 And when the
children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children
of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the
Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a
thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.
This now caused more fear and they
hired others into this fight which caused more bloodshed.
- 2Samuel 10:7 And
when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the
mighty men.
- 8 And the children
of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering
in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and
Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
- 9 When Joab saw that
the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he
chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array
against the Syrians:
- 10 And the rest of
the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother,
that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.
- 11 And he said, If
the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but
if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will
come and help thee.
- 12 Be of good
courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the
cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.
- 13 And Joab drew
nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against
the Syrians: and they fled before him.
- 14 And when the
children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they
also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned
from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
We can think what we want to about Joab
but he was a fighter and was never fearful. His two brothers were
like him in this. One was already dead, killed by Abner previously
in self defense. Abishai the other brother of Joab was a great
warrior as Joab was. Dividing his army was wisdom here. It might not
work in all situations but it did work here. Joab even recognized
God was with them. The story of Abner killing Joab's brother, Asahel
is in 2 Samuel chapter 2.
- 2Samuel 10:15 And
when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they
gathered themselves together.
- 16 And Hadarezer
sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river:
and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of
Hadarezer went before them.
- 17 And when it was
told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over
Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in
array against David, and fought with him.
- 18 And the Syrians
fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred
chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote
Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.
- 19 And when all the
kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten
before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So
the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
The Syrians got wise and refused to
help the people of Ammon any longer. When the Lord is on the side of
any battle though, it is lost before it starts. This was a war
though that didn't have to be. Even in today's world believe it or
not, there are war mongers for one reason or another want to start
wars. Whether it is for control, financial gain or reducing the
world's population we don't always know but someone starts it and it
isn't always started by those we think. It can start by just a
rumor. This sounds like a conspiracy theory but lately a lot of
conspiracy theories are turning out to be true. The spirit of fear,
lying and deception has caused trouble since the fall of man in the
garden of Eden. DC
2 Samuel Chapter 11
|
|