In this chapter, we read about the war between David and the Ammonites. This is an explanation of 2 Samuel 8:12. We can also read more about this in 1 Chronicles 19:1-19.
In this chapter, we read about the war between David and the Ammonites, which explains 2 Samuel 8:12. We can also read more about this in 2 Samuel 10. The parallel passages to these verses are found in 2 Samuel 10:1-5.
We don’t know how long this period was when Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, died and his son, Hanun, took his place as king, 2 Samuel 10:1 / 1 Chronicles 19:1, but David thought he would show him kindness, 2 Samuel 10:2 / 1 Chronicles 19:2.
David chooses to do this because Nahash, before he died, showed David some kindness. Although it’s not clear what kindness David is referring to, some commentators believe that, since Nahash was a bitter enemy of Saul, 1 Samuel 11:1-11, he must have helped David when David was on the run from Saul and his men, 1 Samuel 22:3.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘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 favourably toward Saul’s enemy David, and if there was any family connection between David’s house and Nahash, 2 Samuel 17:25, this may have increased the friendship.’
It’s clear that David’s intentions were honourable, 2 Samuel 10:2 / 1 Chronicles 19:2, but the Ammonite commanders aren’t so sure, they think he’s spying out on the land to take it over, 2 Samuel 10:3 / 1 Chronicles 19:3.
It’s easy to understand why they would think this way, especially when we remember that David slaughtered two-thirds of the Moabites earlier, 2 Samuel 8:1-2 / 1 Chronicles 18:1-2.
It’s also possible they remembered that God condemned them in His law, Deuteronomy 23:3-6. The Moabites and the Ammonites were related because both groups descended from Lot and his daughters, Genesis 19:36-38.
Because they didn’t trust David and his men, Hanun seized David’s envoys and shaved off half of each man’s beard, 2 Samuel 10:3 / 1 Chronicles 19:4. To shave off any part of an Israelite’s beard was seen as a way of humiliating someone.
Hanun obviously wanted to totally humiliate them, and so he also cuts off half of their garments, 2 Samuel 10:4 / 1 Chronicles 19:4, which would mean they would be exposed, Isaiah 20:4.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following, concerning 2 Samuel 10:4 / 1 Chronicles 19:4.
‘In 1 Chronicles 19:4, more concisely ‘shaved.’ Cutting off a person’s beard is regarded by the Arabs as an indignity equal to flogging and branding among ourselves. The loss of their long garments, so essential to Oriental dignity, was no less insulting than that of their beards.’
It’s clear that Hanun has no respect for David or his men. David’s respect for his men is seen when he tells them to wait in Jericho until their beards have grown back, 2 Samuel 10:5 / 1 Chronicles 19:5. He didn’t want them to feel undignified, embarrassed, or humiliated by anyone.
Parallel passages to these verses are found in 1 Chronicles 19:6-13. The Ammonites realised that they had become obnoxious to David, and so they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maakah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob, 2 Samuel 10:6 / 1 Chronicles 19:6-7.
When David hears about what is happening he sends out Joab out with the entire army of fighting men, 2 Samuel 10:7 / 1 Chronicles 19:8. The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country, 2 Samuel 10:8 / 1 Chronicles 19:9.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning 2 Samuel 10:8 / 1 Chronicles 19:9.
‘From their city, Rabbah, Deuteronomy 3:11 / Deuteronomy 3:15, or 20 miles from Medeba, where, 1 Chronicles 19:7, the Syrian army was encamped. Medeba was taken from Sihon, Numbers 21:30, and fell to Reuben, Joshua 13:9 / Joshua 13:16. In the reign of Ahaz, it seems to have returned to Moab, Isaiah 15:2, and in the time of the Maccabees to the Amorites, 1 Maccabees 9:36-37.’
Although Nahash, Hanun’s father, showed kindness to David, Hanun himself showed total disrespect. He knew exactly what he was doing when he treated David’s messengers with total disrespect.
He knew that this would cause trouble between the Ammonites and David, and he knew that David would retaliate, so he prepared his men and the Syrians for war.
This battle against the Ammonites and the Syrians took place at the gate of Ammon. Joab and his brother, Abishai, split up to fight them separately, 2 Samuel 10:9-10 / 1 Chronicles 19:10-11.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It is probable that one of the armies was in the field, and the other in the city, when Joab arrived. When he fronted this army, the other appears to have issued from the city, and to have taken him in the rear; he was therefore obliged to divide his army as here mentioned; one part to face the Syrians commanded by himself, and the other to face the Ammonites commanded by his brother Abishai.’
Joab says if the Arameans are too strong for him, then Abishai is to come and help him but if the Ammonites are too strong for Abishai, then Joab will come and help him, 2 Samuel 10:11 / 1 Chronicles 19:12.
They were willing to fight because they believed that God was going to fight with them because this war was not justified and unwarranted, 2 Samuel 10:12 / 1 Chronicles 19:13. After the Ammonites and the Syrians ran away, 2 Samuel 10:13 / 1 Chronicles 19:14, Joab returned to Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 10:14 / 1 Chronicles 19:15.
It’s difficult to understand why Joab called off the battle and returned to Jerusalem, especially since they were winning. One possible explanation was that it was winter or winter was on its way; most nations never fought against anyone else in winter seasons.
The parallel passages to this verse can be found in 1 Chronicles 19:16-19. After fleeing from Joab and his brother Abishai, the Arameans decide to regroup, 2 Samuel 10:15 / 1 Chronicles 19:16.
Hadarezer was one of the most powerful leaders at this time in Syria, 2 Samuel 8:3, got his men together to fight David and his men again, 2 Samuel 10:16 / 1 Chronicles 19:16.
This time, David would personally lead his men, 2 Samuel 10:17 / 1 Chronicles 19:17, and the Arameans once again lost and fled, 2 Samuel 10:18 / 1 Chronicles 19:18. David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers, 2 Samuel 10:18 / 1 Chronicles 19:18.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following concerning 2 Samuel 10:18.
‘In the parallel place, 1 Chronicles 19:18, it is said, David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men, who fought in chariots. It is difficult to ascertain the right number in this and similar places. It is very probable that, in former times, the Jews expressed, as they often do now, their numbers, not by words at full length, but by numeral letters; and, as many of the letters bear a great similarity to each other, mistakes might easily creep in when the numeral letters came to be expressed by words at full length. This alone will account for the many mistakes which we find in the numbers in these books, and renders a mistake here very probable.’
David also killed Shobak, the commander of their army, 2 Samuel 10:18 / 1 Chronicles 19:18. The Arameans now know they can’t defeat Israel, so they offer to make peace with them, and they became subject to Israel, 2 Samuel 10:19 / 1 Chronicles 19:19. The good news is that they were also now afraid to help the Ammonites in the future, 2 Samuel 10:19 / 1 Chronicles 19:19.