2 Samuel 10:4 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Believing the lie, Hanun humiliates David's envoys by half-shaving their beards and cutting away their garments.
What Does 2 Samuel 10:4 Mean?
Persuaded by his princes, Hanun acts. He seizes the ambassadors and inflicts a calculated humiliation: half their beards shorn, their robes cut off at the waist, exposing them to shame before sending them home. In that culture the beard was a mark of dignity and manhood, so the insult struck at their very honor.
An act of comfort has been answered with contempt. The cruelty here is not random but deliberate, designed to wound dignity itself. Scripture does not flinch from showing how pride and fear can disfigure a soul into shaming the innocent. Yet even the disgraced are not abandoned, as the next verse will reveal a king who guards the honor of his own.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 10:4
What does 2 Samuel 10:4 mean?
Believing the lie, Hanun humiliates David's envoys by half-shaving their beards and cutting away their garments.