2 Samuel 10

2 Samuel · Chapter 10

2 Samuel 10:4

1And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.2Then 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.3And 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?4Wherefore 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.5When 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.6And 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.7And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.8And 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.9When 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:10And 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.11And 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.12Be 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.13And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.14And 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.15And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.16And 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.17And 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.18And 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.19And 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
4Wherefore 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.So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.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.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he tookוַיִּקַּ֨חvai-yi-KACHH3947G
to take: take

לָקַח (la.qach) : take 1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to take, take in the hand 1a2) to take and carry along 1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away 1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept 1a5) to take up or upon, put upon 1a6) to fetch 1a7) to take, lead, conduct 1a8) to take, capture, seize 1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be taken away, be removed …

Hanunחָנ֜וּןcha-NUNH2586G
Hanun

חָנוּן (cha.nun) A man of the Ammonites living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.10.1; son of: Nahash (H5176H) § Hanun = "gracious" 1) son of Nahash and king of Ammon who dishonoured David's ambassadors and lost the subsequent war with David 2) a man who, with the people of Zanoah, repaired the ravine gate in the wall of Jerusalem 3) the 6th son of Zalaph, who also assisted in the repair of the wall of Jerusalem, apparently on the east side

[the] servants ofעַבְדֵ֣י'av-DEIH5650
servant/slave

עֲבַד (a.vad) servant, slave Aramaic of e.ved (עֶ֫בֶד "servant/slave" H5650)

Davidדָוִ֗דda-VIDH1732
David

דָּוִד (da.vid) A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17; son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I); brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339); …

and he shavedוַיְגַלַּח֙vay-ga-LACHH1548
to shave

גָּלַח (ga.lach) 1) to poll, shave, shave off, be bald 1a) (Piel) 1a1) to shave 1a2) to shave off 1a3) (fig. of devastation) 1b)(Pual) to be shaven 1c) (Hithpael) to shave oneself

the half ofחֲצִ֣יcha-TZIH2677
half

חֲצִי (che.tsi) 1) half 1a) half 1b) middle

beard theirזְקָנָ֔םze-ka-NAMH2206
beard

זָקָן (za.qan) 1) beard, chin 1a) beard 1b) chin

and he cut offוַיִּכְרֹ֧תvai-yikh-ROTH3772G
to cut: cut

כָּרַת (ka.rat) : cut/fell 1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cut off 1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead 1a2) to cut down 1a3) to hew 1a4) to cut or make a covenant 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cut off 1b2) to be cut down 1b3) to be chewed 1b4) to be cut off, fail 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be cut off 1c2) to be cut down 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cut off 1d2) to cut off, destroy 1d3) to cut down, destroy 1d4) to take away 1d5) to permit to perish 1e) (Hophal) cut off

robes theirמַדְוֵיהֶ֛םmad-vei-HEMH4063
garment

מָ֫דוּ (me.dev) garment

at the middleבַּחֵ֖צִיba-CHE-tziH2677
half

חֲצִי (che.tsi) 1) half 1a) half 1b) middle

toעַ֣ד'adH5704
till

עַד (ad) prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)

buttocks theirשְׁתֽוֹתֵיהֶ֑םshe-to-tei-HEMH8357
buttock

שֵׁת (she.tah) seat (of body), buttocks

and he sent away themוַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵֽם׃VAY-sha-le-CHEMH7971G
to send: depart

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) : depart/send 1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to send 1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct 1a3) to send away 1a4) to let loose 1b) (Niphal) to be sent 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out 1c2) to let go, set free 1c3) to shoot forth (of branches) 1c4) to let down 1c5) to shoot 1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled 1e) (Hiphil) to send

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.