2 Samuel 10:1-19 (KJV)
And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
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.
And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
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.
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.
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.
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.
After Saul’s disobedience disqualified him as God’s king over the people of God, the prophet Samuel said, 1 Samuel 13:14 (KJV)
…. the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart …
We know that man to be David.
The Bible nowhere tells us exactly what quality of David defines him as a man after God’s heart. I infer then that the life of David, the accounts that God has preserved for us in His Word, combine to teach us what it is to have a heart after God’s.
Our study has taken us through the troublesome times between David was anointed king and when, something near 20 years later, he actually sits on the throne as king.
The preacher promised him something that:
· Would take two decades to be fulfilled
· Cost him dear friends and
· Leave David as always the dubious leader of Saul’s followers
With things stabilized a bit, David reached out in kindness:
· First to Mephibosheth, the grandson of the man whose kingdom David replaced and
· Then to Hanun, the new king of the children of Ammon
I am reminded somewhat of how the Gospel is spread in the book of Acts. It goes:
· First obviously to the Jews
· Then to the Samaritans, a half Jew nation of people and finally
· To the Gentiles, through Cornelius
David’s first act of kindness was to a fellows Jew, but from a rival family. His next act of kindness was to a Gentile.
And in this case, it is not going to go well.
· Sometimes it doesn’t matter how hard you try
· Sometimes it doesn’t matter how good are your intentions
Sometimes we reach out to others and it doesn’t go well.
Does that mean we retreat into our little sanctuary and huddle together?
Not at all.
We have a God.
And just as He reached out and gave His only begotten Son, we ought to reach out in kindness and love.
It seems to me that one of the best ways to address this event is to consider the three personalities we have here.
· We have King David
· We have King Ammon and
· We have David’s servants
I. DAVID, IN KINDNESS SOUGHT TO COMFORT HANUN
2 Samuel 10:1-2 (KJV)
And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
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.
Nahash, Hanun’s father, had died and David’s only goal was to be kind to Hanun and Nahash had been to him.
I did some checking and I can’t find anywhere that the Bible actually says Nahash had been kind to David.
Most likely all this means is that, during those years when David fled Saul, Nahash left him alone.
They are enemy nations.
The Ammonites had a long history with Israel.
In the days of Moses and Joshua, God told Israel that he would not give them the land of the Ammonites because they were the children of Lot.
· But in the days of the Judges, Eglon, the king of Moab, aligned with the Ammonites and persecuted the Jews.[1]
· The Ammonites warred with Israel once again in Judges 10, 11, 12
· When Saul became King, one of his first wars was against the Ammonites.[2]
· David had subdued the Ammonites and dedicated to God the gold and silver he had taken from them.[3]
And yet, when Nahash died, David wanted to try to mend the fences and make peace with Hanun.
I think most Christians have the idea that Jews have always hated Gentiles and have never wanted anything to do with any Gentile under any conditions.
That is certainly not true of King David, or of Solomon.
And it is most certainly not true of God.
The Old Testament is filled with indications of God’s desire to reach into the Gentile peoples and win them to Himself.
· Rahab the harlot was a Gentile woman saved from judgment.
· Mosaic Law is filled with provisions for Gentiles dwelling in their land – both those who had become proselytes and those who had not.
Christian, the heart of God is a heart of kindness for others.
· Kindness towards those who agree with us
· Kindness toward those who are different than us even, if possible
· Kindness toward those who are opposed to us
In what ways do you purposefully reach out to others?
Do you make an effort to win friends, even friends who disagree so that you can amicably speak about those differences?
Fear prevents many Christians from venturing out of the safety of their own community bubble.
What are we afraid of?
Are we afraid that they will win us to their non-Christian beliefs?
Then our faith is not built right.
Let it be tested!
Better to find out that your faith can’t endure a storm than to go on thinking it can and have it demolished in a hurricane!
Are we afraid that they will steal from us our children?
They might just do that.
But to prevent our children from exposure to this world makes them no surer of heaven.
Are we afraid that they will injure us physically?
Jesus said, Luke 12:4-5 (KJV)
And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
King David sought to shew kindness to the king of an enemy nation.
Notice secondly,
II. HANUN, THE KING OF THE AMMONITES MISUNDERSTOOD DAVD
2 Samuel 10:3 (KJV)
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?
I don’t mean to say that every conflict is the result of misunderstandings.
· The conflict between Cain and Abel was not a misunderstanding
· The conflict between the Pharisees and Jesus was not a misunderstanding
If a guy breaks into your home and you are forced to defend your family; that is not a misunderstanding.
On the other hand, a lot of conflicts are just misunderstandings gone wrong.
So many things could be resolved if we just had a forgiving spirit and tried to think the best before we think the worst about people.
I can see two reasons why Hanun might have misinterpreted David’s intentions:
A. Because they had a history of war
As I said, about the only act of kindness that the Bible describes the Ammonites ever doing for David is not attacking him when he was down.
There had been sufficient hostilities between these two for so long that it is might be understandable why Hanun would be wary.
I am speculating with this point so all I would like to do at this point is just ask you, if you are trying to win an enemy to friendship, be patient with them.
And if an enemy reaches out to you in kindness, at least give them a chance.
Matthew 5:23-25 (KJV)
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
If the one you have ought with comes to reconcile, please, try to work it out!
The second reason Hanun misunderstood David was
B. Because he was influenced by outside voices
2 Samuel 10:3 (KJV)
And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun ….
I just have to tell you, I sure wished they had just kept quiet!
A world of iniquity lives inside our tongues.
The book of James says, James 3:7-8 (KJV)
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Just because the Bible says “the tongue can no man tame.” It doesn’t mean we ought not to try!
It is distressing how often a person will come to me, or my wife, or pastor Caleb or his wife or, for that matter, a Sunday school teacher or trusted friend, receive the advice, “Just let it go, don’t say anything.”
Only to see that very same person turn around, walk ten steps and start talking about what they were advised not to speak about.
I don’t want to take the time right now to do a Bible study on words, but the Bible has plenty to say about:
· Idle words
· Gossip
· Evil speaking
· A False report and
· So on
It might be a good idea if we would obey those passages.
Notice thirdly
III. THE SERVANTS, THOUGH INNOCENT, WERE THE VICTIMS
2 Samuel 10:4 (KJV)
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.
The culture of that day was different than ours.
We can’t really understand maybe what the big deal about this is.
So he cut off half their beards…. In our world we would just shave the whole thing off and lets move on. We might be mad about it, but not humiliated.[4]
The clothing thing is a bit more of an issue, but you could just give them a new set of clothes.
At least they weren’t beheaded on national television.
Here’s the thing
Culture is a powerful factor.
In their culture these two actions we highly offensive with spiritual implications.
You may not like the culture we live in – but you had better learn how to survive in it.
It is not ok to ignore how someone else perceives a thing.
We have dozens of subcultures in the United States:
· An East Coast subculture
· An Urban subculture
· A Southern subculture
· A farmer’s subculture
· A suburban subculture
· A blue collar subculture
· A white collar subculture
· A conservative subculture
· A Christian subculture[5]
Besides all of the subcultures that have to do with race, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.
Every one of these is a potential point of conflict.
When it enters into a local church it is destructive.
The only way a church can function is if these subcultures are surrendered to the culture of the Word of God.
Notice what happens all because of a misunderstanding…
1. Hanun Assumed David would attack him
2 Samuel 10:6 (KJV)
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.
He hired help against a battle that they did not know would even happen.
2. David was forced to defend his country
2 Samuel 10:7 (KJV)
And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
It didn’t look to good for a bit did it?
2 Samuel 10:9-12 (KJV)
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:
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.
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.
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.
Just because it doesn’t look good for the people of God doesn’t mean God is not with them.
Before this thing was over the Ammonites were put to flight.
2 Samuel 10:13-14 (KJV)
And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
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.
David, a man after God’s heart, wanted to shew kindness, but when he was attacked, God won the day.
Bonus lesson…
Hanun had hired some help, people who had no dog in this fight, before it was over, they had been beaten too.
2 Samuel 10:15-19 (KJV)
And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hanun thought he was in the right.
· His country had a long history of war with Israel.
· He found someone else who had a long history of war with Israel and they joined up.
But notice that Hanun wasn’t the only one defeated.
Everyone I know who gets offended enlists as many people as they can to take up their offense.
The Bible says, Proverbs 26:17 (KJV)
He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.
Before its all said and done all of those who stood against the people of God got whipped, and the people of God kept on.
Conclusion
The heart after God’s always attempts to be kind.
But that doesn’t mean they are never aggressive or bold.
· Don’t let yourself get offended over things that are almost certainly a misunderstanding and by all means
· Don’t let yourself get caught up in someone else’s offense
Just forgive, be kind and, when called upon fight for the truth of God’s Word.
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