2 SAMUEL LESSON 11
We will begin this lesson in II Samuel 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."
The Ammonites had been in battle with David before, but once the
battle was over, David forgot the hate. We see, in the verse above,
the father of the children of Ammon. As is the case in many countries,
one of the sons becomes king in his stead. In this particular
instance, it is Hanun.
II Samuel 10:2 "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."
We see that David tries to show them kindness. It seems, when
Saul was trying to destroy David, he had found help with this Nahash.
Since Nahash was an enemy of Saul, he helped David. Nahash had been
enemies with Saul, because he wanted to put out the right eye of the
people of Jabesh-gilead to have peace with them. Saul attacked them,
and was always enemies with them. David appreciated the kindness
Nahash had shown him, and wanted to be friendly with his sons. David
sent some servants to tell the sons of his sorrow of their dad's
death.
II Samuel 10:3 "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?"
It appears, they did not trust the intentions of David. They
were, probably, jealous of the great power that David had won in war.
It seemed, they did not trust David, or the servants he sent them.
II Samuel 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."
This was done to disgrace them. The orientals wore long beards,
as a symbol of their freedom. They wore no undergarments, so this was
a terribly embarrassing thing, to have half of their clothes cut off.
David had wanted peace with them, but this will bring war.
II Samuel 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."
They sent someone on to tell David of their plight. He knew the
embarrassment it would cause them to come into camp, so he allowed
them to stay at Jericho, until their beards were grown out.
II Samuel 10:6 "And when the children of Ammon saw that they
stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians
of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and
of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob twelve thousand men."
The children of Ammon knew they had done something, that David
would not overlook. There would be war. They must have been very
wealthy, because they hired soldiers to help them fight against David.
They had hired 33,000 men to fight David.
II Samuel 10:7 "And when David heard of [it], he sent Joab, and
all the host of the mighty men."
This is speaking of the large army led by Joab. David's troops
are skilled in war, and they have become mighty warriors. David
quickly sends men to the area, where the enemy is gathering for war.
II Samuel 10:8 "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 Ish-tob, and Maacah, [were] by themselves in
the field."
It appears, from this, that the hired soldiers will be at the
most risk out in the field. The Ammonites will stay back in relative
safety, near the entering of the gate. The hired soldiers have not
united yet with the Ammonites. Joab gets his troops there, while they
are still separated.
II Samuel 10:9 "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:"
Joab would have to divide his army up, also. He takes his very
choicest men and sets them against the Syrians, which are 33,000 in
number.
II Samuel 10:10 "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."
It appears, from this that Joab has placed his army between the
Ammonites and the Syrians. Abishai, the brother of Joab, will face the
Ammonites. Whichever one needs help, the other can turn their troops
and help. The only thing that will save David's army, is the LORD.
II Samuel 10:11 "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." II Samuel 10:12 "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."
This army of David had been in battle before. They were brave
men, who knew the fate of their nation depended upon them standing,
and not running. Notice, also, that Joab calls on the help of the LORD
in this battle. Joab and Abishi were brave men, and would do their
best.
II Samuel 10:13 "And Joab drew nigh, and the people that [were]
with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before
him."
We are not told the size of Joab's army. We are told, here, that
the Syrians became afraid and ran away. It appears that, Joab and his
men started advancing, and that is when the Syrians ran.
II Samuel 10:14 "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."
They were no longer boastful, when their hired soldiers ran. They
ran back into their city for safety. The Ammonites refusal of
friendship from David had greatly cost them. They not only lost the
war, but lost self-respect in the process.
II Samuel 10:15 "And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten
before Israel, they gathered themselves together." II Samuel 10:16
"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."
All of this seems to be a more full explanation of the same
battles we read of in chapter 8. Hadarezer had not entered personally
in hiring out to the Ammonites to fight for them. It does seem, that
when they lost the battle, however, he felt obligated to restore their
good name by fighting the troops of David himself. He sent for his men
to come back to him. Shobach was the captain of his hosts.
II Samuel 10:17 "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."
II Samuel 10:18 "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."
David leads the men himself in this. Joab had not gone in and
finished the job on the Ammonites and Syrians in the last
confrontation. There is a slight discrepancy in the numbers in this
war against David. The exact number is not that important, however.
The important thing is that David and his men destroy them.
II Samuel 10:19 "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."
There were thousands of the enemies slain in this battle led by
David. It seems, Hadarezer had been over several countries before this
battle, and they had paid tribute to him. Now that he is defeated,
they made peace with Israel, and became their subjects. The Syrians
saw how futile it was to fight against David, so they do not help the
Ammonites anymore.
2 Samuel 11 Questions
1. Who reigned in Ammon, when his father died?
2. What does David attempt to do at the death of Nahash?
3. Who did David send with greetings to Hanun?
4. Why had Saul been enemies with Nahash?
5. What did the princes of Ammon decide about David's offer of
friendship?
6. What did Hanun do to David's servants?
7. Why did orientals wear long beards?
8. What will this embarrassment bring?
9. Where did David tell his servants to tarry, until their beards
grew back out?
10. What did the children of Ammon do, when they realized they stank
before David?
11. How many soldiers did they hire?
12. Who did David send to lead his army?
13. Where would the children of Ammon fight?
14. Who does Joab set his very choicest army against?
15. Who led the other part of the army?
16. Where had Joab placed his men?
17. The only thing that will save David's army, is the ________.
18. What were David's soldiers encouraged to do?
19. When Joab and his men came toward the Syrians, what did the
Syrians do?
20. What happened to the sons of Ammon, when they saw what the Syrians
did?
21. Where do we read another place of these same battles?
22. Why did Hadarezer get involved in this battle?
23. Who led the army of Israel against Hadarezer?
24. What did the other kings do, when they saw David defeat Hadarezer?
25. Why did the Syrians no longer fight against David?
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