I Chronicles 19:4
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved their beards, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
And cut off their garments in the midst - Usque ad eorum, pudenda. So the Targum, Jarchi, and others; leaving exposed what nature and decency require to be concealed. See on Sa2 10:4 (note).
Open source ↗INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 19 The eighteenth and nineteenth chapters are the same with Sa2 8:1 with very little variations, which are observed in the notes on them, to which the reader is referred.
Open source ↗The story is here repeated of David's war with the Ammonites and the Syrians their allies, and the victories he obtained over them, which we read just as it is here related, 2 Sa. 10. Here is, I. David's civility to the king of Ammon, in sending an embassy of condolence to him on occasion of his father's death (Ch1 19:1, Ch1 19:2). II. His great incivility to David, in the base usage he gave to his ambassadors (Ch1 19:3, Ch1 19:4). III. David's just resentment of it, and the war which broke out thereupon, in which the Ammonites acted with policy in bringing the Syrians to their assistance (Ch1 19:6, Ch1 19:7), Joab did bravely (Ch1 19:8-13), and Israel was once and again victorious (Ch1 19:14-19).
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.
Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails over Nebo, as well as over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off.
so the king of Assyria will lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks—to Egypt’s shame.
For every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth.
eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their garments, and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria, carrying grain offerings and frankincense for the house of the LORD.
You must not cut off the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.
Then he sent them another servant, and they struck him over the head and treated him shamefully.
But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.