Year of the Bible
2 Samuel 10
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Commentary on the Second Book of Samuel, Chapter 10:
David’s attention turns to neighboring nations, and he sends an envoy to make peace with the Ammonites. The envoy returns humiliated and shamed, and the Ammonites join forces with the Syrians and attack Israel. David’s military leader, Joab, is able to vanquish one part of the army, and David defeats the rest. David has the peace he had tried to achieve diplomatically and the nation’s size is expanded once again.
The Second Book of Samuel, Chapter 10:
The Ammonites and Syrians Are Defeated
1 After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. 2 And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites. 3 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?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off half the beard of each, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away. 5 When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”
6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become odious to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob, twelve thousand men. 7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men. 8 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate; and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the open country.
9 When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the picked men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Syrians; 10 the rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. 11 And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” 13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians; and they fled before him. 14 And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites, and came to Jerusalem.
15 But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 And Hadadezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates; and they came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. 17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians arrayed themselves against David, and fought with him. 18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. 19 And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel, and became subject to them. So the Syrians feared to help the Ammonites any more.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
David attempted to show appreciation toward the Ammonites and was met with suspicion and aggression. How do I respond when my good intentions are misunderstood?
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Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
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1 Después de esto murió el rey de los
amonitas y en su lugar reinó Janún,
su hijo. 2 David dijo:
–Tendré misericordia con Janún,
hijo de Najás, como él la tuvo conmigo.
Y envió a sus servidores para que le
consolaran por la muerte de su padre.
Cuando los servidores de David llegaron
a la tierra de los amonitas, 3 los jefes de
los amonitas dijeron a Janún, su señor:
–¿Piensas que David quiere honrar a
tu padre y que por eso ha enviado a éstos
para que te consuelen? ¿No será que ha
enviado a sus servidores para explorar la
ciudad, recorrerla y después destruirla?
4 Entonces Janún apresó a los servidores
de David, les rasuró la mitad de
la barba, les cortó las vestiduras por la
mitad hasta los muslos y los devolvió.
5 Cuando se lo comunicaron a David,
éste mandó que salieran a su encuentro,
ya que aquellos hombres se sentían humillados.
Y les dijo:
–Quedaos en Jericó hasta que os
crezca la barba. Después, venid.
6 Los amonitas vieron que con eso se
habían enemistado con David y enviaron
a reclutar mercenarios: veinte mil
de infantería de los arameos de Bet-Rejob
y de Sobá; mil del rey de Maacá y
doce mil del rey de Istob. 7 Cuando David
se enteró, envió contra ellos a Joab
y a todo su ejército, a los más valientes.
8 Los amonitas salieron y formaron
en orden de batalla a la entrada de la
puerta. Los arameos de Sobá y de Rejob,
y los hombres de Istob y de Maacá
estaban en posiciones apartadas en el
campo. 9 Al ver Joab que tenía un frente
de batalla por delante y otro por detrás,
eligió a los más valientes de Israel y
los puso en formación frente a los arameos.
10 El resto del ejército se lo encomendó
a Abisay, su hermano, que los
puso en formación frente a los amonitas.
11 Y dijo Joab a su hermano:
–Si los arameos resultan más fuertes
que yo, ven a socorrerme; y si los amonitas
te superan, te socorreré yo. 12 Tú
sé valiente. Luchemos con coraje por
nuestro pueblo y por las ciudades de
nuestro Dios, y que el Señor haga lo que
considere mejor.
13 Joab y los que estaban con él entablaron
combate con los arameos, que
huyeron de su presencia. 14 Y los amonitas,
al ver que los arameos se daban a
la fuga, huyeron también ellos ante Abisay
y entraron en la ciudad. Joab, por
su parte, regresó de la batalla contra los
arameos y entró en Jerusalén.
15 Al verse los arameos derrotados
por Israel, se reagruparon todos. 16 Hadad-
Ézer mandó buscar a los arameos
que estaban al otro lado del río, y vinieron
a Jelam. Al frente de ellos iba Sobac,
jefe del ejército de Hadad-Ézer. 17 Cuando
David fue informado de esto, reunió
a todo Israel, atravesó el Jordán y llegó
a Jelam. Los arameos formaron en orden
de batalla frente a David y combatieron
contra él. 18 Pero los arameos tuvieron
que huir ante Israel. David mató
de entre los arameos a setecientos de caballería
y cuarenta mil de infantería. Hirió
también a Sobac, jefe de su ejército,
que murió allí mismo. 19 Todos los reyes
vasallos de Hadad-Ézer, cuando vieron
cómo había vencido Israel, hicieron la
paz con él y le quedaron sometidos. Los
arameos no se atrevieron a prestar ayuda
a los amonitas nunca más.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
David intentó mostrar aprecio hacia los amonitas y fue recibido con recelo y agresión. ¿Cómo respondo cuando mis buenas intenciones son malinterpretadas?
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