2 Samuel 10:3 — Meaning and Application

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? {Thinkest...: Heb. In thine eyes doth David}

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.