2 Samuel 10 3

2 Samuel 10:3 kjv

And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor 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?

2 Samuel 10:3 nkjv

And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?"

2 Samuel 10:3 niv

the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn't David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?"

2 Samuel 10:3 esv

But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?"

2 Samuel 10:3 nlt

the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, "Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!"

2 Samuel 10 verses

2 Samuel 10 3 Meaning

2 Samuel 10:3 reveals the deceptive and hostile counsel given by the Ammonite princes to their new king, Hanun. They interpret David's act of sending envoys to offer comfort for his father's death not as genuine empathy or a desire for covenant faithfulness, but as a cunning strategy for espionage. They falsely accuse David of ulterior motives, claiming his true intention is to survey and strategize for the conquest and destruction of their city. This verse marks a critical turning point where good intentions are maliciously twisted, leading to severe conflict.

2 Samuel 10 3 Context

2 Samuel chapter 10 begins with King Nahash of Ammon dying. David remembers the kindness Nahash had shown him in the past (the Bible does not specify the nature of this kindness, but tradition suggests Nahash might have sheltered David during Saul's pursuit or offered aid). Out of hesed (covenant loyalty or faithful love), David sends ambassadors to Hanun, Nahash's son and successor, to express condolences and comfort. This was an established diplomatic practice in the ancient Near East, often signifying friendship and a continuation of alliances. However, 2 Samuel 10:3 reveals that Hanun's advisors, "the princes of the children of Ammon," interject with a narrative driven by suspicion and historical animosity. They twisted David's genuine act of comfort into a pretense for hostile reconnaissance, advising Hanun to view David's emissaries as spies and the visit as a pretext for an invasion. This counsel leads Hanun to commit an extreme act of dishonor (shaving half their beards and cutting their garments), which initiates a significant war between Israel and Ammon. The historical context shows the Ammonites as a perennial enemy of Israel, descended from Lot (Gen 19:38), known for their antagonism (Deut 23:3-6; Judg 3:12-30; 1 Sam 11). This inherent mistrust, fueled by worldly political calculation rather than a discerning heart, proved disastrous.

2 Samuel 10 3 Word analysis

• But: Connects to the previous verse (2 Sam 10:2), contrasting David's noble intent with the princes' suspicious interpretation.

• the princes: (Hebrew: שָׂרֵי - sarê) Refers to key officials or influential advisors in Hanun's court. These were men of position and presumed wisdom, whose counsel carried significant weight. Their advice shaped Hanun's immediate perception and subsequent action, highlighting the grave responsibility of those who advise rulers.

• of the children of Ammon: Identifies the ethnicity and group affiliations of the advisors, emphasizing their nationalistic bias and long-standing historical tension with Israel (Deut 23:3-6). Their counsel stems from a heritage of mistrust and potential animosity.

• said unto Hanun their lord: Implies their persuasive influence over Hanun, the new, likely inexperienced, king. The phrase "their lord" reinforces Hanun's authority but also their direct access and influence over him.

• Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee?: This is a rhetorical question designed to instill doubt and suspicion in Hanun's mind.

  • David doth honor thy father: The advisors are casting doubt on David's stated motivation – honor (Hebrew: כָּבֵד - kāḇêḏ, implying to make heavy, glorious, or treat with respect). They suggest it's a false pretense.
  • that he hath sent comforters unto thee?: (Hebrew: מְנַחֲמִים - mənahămîm, consolers, those who comfort). This part of the question twists the very act of kindness (sending condolence messages) into something suspicious. Comforting the bereaved was a well-established custom; by questioning David's intent, they make the common appear sinister.

• hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search out the city, and to overthrow it, and to spy it out?: This is the core accusation, presented as a leading question, asserting their "true" interpretation of David's motives. It's a classic example of projecting one's own likely intentions onto an adversary.

  • his servants: Refers to David's ambassadors, presented now as mere operatives or agents.
  • to search out the city: (Hebrew: לַחְקֹר - laḥqōr, to explore, investigate deeply, inquire). Suggests detailed examination of vulnerabilities.
  • and to overthrow it: (Hebrew: וּלְהָרְסָהּ - wələhārəsāh, to demolish, tear down, break apart, ruin). This reveals their belief that David's ultimate goal is destruction. It connects the espionage with the objective of conquest.
  • and to spy it out?: (Hebrew: וּלְרַגְּלָהּ - wələragləhā, to go about as a spy, scout). This is the explicit accusation of espionage, a common tactic in ancient warfare but a grave breach of diplomatic trust when ambassadors are involved. The progression from "search out" to "overthrow" to "spy it out" forms a clear progression from information gathering to ultimate destruction.

2 Samuel 10 3 Bonus section

• The contrast between David's hesed and the Ammonites' deceit is a major theme. David, often called "a man after God's own heart," acted from a place of righteous kindness. The Ammonite princes acted from worldly suspicion, a lack of trust in diplomacy, and a readiness to assume the worst. This mirrors the spiritual reality that trusting in appearances or worldly wisdom often leads to detrimental outcomes, while actions rooted in love and faithfulness, even when misunderstood, are godly.
• The incident highlights the precarious nature of international relations and the importance of wise, discerning leadership. Hanun's failure to independently evaluate David's character and intent, instead relying solely on his advisors' jaded counsel, was his downfall. It emphasizes the need for leaders to seek discernment from God's wisdom, not just human reasoning, especially in matters of peace and conflict.

2 Samuel 10 3 Commentary

2 Samuel 10:3 encapsulates a moment of profound misjudgment and mistrust that escalated into a devastating war. David, desiring to extend hesed (loyal love and kindness) to the new Ammonite king Hanun, sent a delegation to mourn the death of Hanun's father. This was an act of genuine good will, possibly reciprocal of Nahash's past kindness, and aligned with covenant principles. However, the Ammonite princes, steeped in geopolitical suspicion and historical animosity, intercepted Hanun's perception with cynical counsel. They posited that David's condolence mission was a ruse, a thinly veiled intelligence operation to pinpoint Ammonite vulnerabilities for a future invasion. Their advice was rooted in paranoia, perhaps projecting their own military tactics onto David, or recalling past episodes of spying (as seen in Numbers 13). Hanun, new to the throne and vulnerable to the counsel of his influential advisors, adopted their cynical interpretation rather than trusting David's stated intent or his diplomatic gesture. This pivotal moment underscores the destructive power of suspicion and poor counsel, where an act of grace is twisted into an act of aggression, ultimately leading to unnecessary conflict and great suffering (2 Sam 10:6-19). This narrative serves as a powerful biblical illustration of how human misunderstanding and the influence of ungodly advisors can trigger devastating consequences.