David Defeats Ammon and Syria
As many who have followed me for a bit, I have fallen into the Psalms, and I can’t get up! (As if I would want to.) The Psalms are a majestic collection of poetry, of heart felt human experiences that constantly challenge me in my own frail attempt to follow the true King. As many of the Psalms are written by David, my study on the Psalms has spurred me on to looking at the life of David, is the main contributor to this book, and to follow the victories and tragedies of the shepherd King of Israel.
Many times in the narrative, we will see the Lord Jesus, imperfectly, yet a reflection of His spirit in a man with weaknesses.
2 Samuel 10:1-19
1 After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.
2 And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites.
3 But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?”
4 So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away.
5 When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”
David was a man who sought to communicate the kindness of God in tangible manners. We have just considered his kindness to Mephibosheth, and now we enter a time when he sends delegates of Israel to a foreign nation on the death of their king.
This kindness was somewhat different that with Mephibosheth. This kindness was in return for kindness, an act of the former king that showed toward David in the past. What was that kindness?
Although the Scripture does not provide any details, there are two possibilities.
David had left his parents and brothers with the king of Moab during Saul’s persecution of David. Jewish tradition speaks of the king of Moab killing David’s parents and family during this time of refuge from Saul, except for one brother. This brother escaped to King Nahash of Ammon.
One other tradition speaks of a time when David fled from Achish, coming to the king of Ammon, and finding in Nahash a hatred of Saul, found refuge.
Whatever the kindness showed to David by Nahash, the king of Ammon, David sought to provide comfort. Sending a delegation to Ammon should have been received by the king’s family for what it was. An act of kindness.
But some young counsellors, advising a young king in a period of great change, understood this action completely wrong. They attributed evil for David’s kindness. And as they were in the presence of this newly crowned young king, they counselled him in like manner. David is going to take over the country.
And they were right, but not because of David’s plans but due to their foolish counsel. The young, inexperienced king listened to these foolish inexperienced counsellors and committed the highest indignity to David’s representatives.
It is said that the beard of the Israelite is of his greatest glory, a sign of his maturity, representing the honor he had attained to in his life. These delegates of David, expecting to be received in honor, but rejected in dishonor, experienced great shame. As David’s delegates, this shame was directly aimed at David.
Let’s remember that this culture was a shame based culture. To be shamed in this manner was of the highest insult, and of the deepest cut. David, in hearing of this disgrace, honored these men be not requiring them to be exposed to their own people, thereby providing some relief.
But relief was not to be experienced by a young inexperienced king.
In like manner, we are delegates of the King, and at times, we may be treated shamefully. We have been informed of the world’s motivation by the Lord, and should not be surprised.
John 15:18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
But also, as the delegates greatest glory grew back, our treatment, or any shame we experience is temporary. Hang on to the promises of God, for we shall be comforted in the midst of the trial, and provided an eternal reward.
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
As for the those who perpetrate any act of shame or hatred on the King’s delegates, we will leave that to the King to resolve.
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