David’s Kindness Misunderstood

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 2 Samuel 10:1-19. In this Scripture we learn that the king of Ammon died, and Hanun, his son, took his place as king.

David wanted to express his condolences to Hanun, the son of Nahash, because his father was nice to him. So David sent his servants to comfort him.

When David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon the princes were suspicious. They asked Hanun, their lord, if he believed that David sent his servants as a way to honor his father. They thought David may have sent his servants to search out the city, spy on it, and overthrow it.

Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments, and sent them away. Hanun shamed David’s servants by his actions.

When they told David what happened, he went to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. David told them to stay at Jericho until their beards were grown out then they could return.

The children of Ammon realized that David was angry with them about what they did to his men. They knew there was about to be trouble. So they hired twenty thousand Syrian footmen from Bethrehob and Zoba, a thousand men from king Maacah, and twelve thousand men from Ishtob.

When David heard they gathered their troops, he sent Joab, and all his army to great them.

The children of Ammon came out, and lined up for battle at the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, Rehob, Ishtob, and Maacah, gathered by themselves in the field.

When Joab saw that the battle was formed against him on both sides, he chose all the choice men of Israel, and lined them up for battle against the Syrians.

The rest of the people he assigned to Abishai, his brother, so he could get them ready for battle against the children of Ammon.

Joab made an agreement with his brother. He said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you can help me: but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you

“Be of good courage, let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that what seems good to him.”

When Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians: the Syrians fled.

When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, they fled as well, and went into the city. Joab returned from the battle with the children of Ammon, and came back to Jerusalem.

When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together.

Hadarezer sent for the Syrians who were beyond the river: and had them come to Helam. Shobach, the captain of the host of Hadarezer, lead them.

When David heard about it, he gathered all the men of Israel together, passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians lined up for battle against David, and fought with him.

The Syrians fled from Israel; and David slew seven hundred men from the chariots of the Syrians, forty thousand horsemen, and killed Shobach, the captain of their army.

When all the kings who were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel, and became their servants. After that the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon.

Daily Bible Reading:

2 Samuel 10:1-19

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?
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.
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 Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.
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.
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.

Things to think about:

• Have you ever tried to do something nice for someone only to have them misunderstand your actions as they did David’s?
• How did it make you feel to be misunderstood?
• How did you react?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read this Scripture in 2 Samuel we see that David’s kindness was misconstrued and caused a lot of trouble. Help us as we interact with others to not jump to conclusions about their intentions. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

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