2 Samuel 10:4

Wherefore Hanun took David's servants,.... His ambassadors: and shaved off one half of their beards; that is, he ordered them to be shaved off; than which a greater indignity could not have been well

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. Hanun ... shaved off the one half of their beards.

Shaved off the one half of their beards; partly that he might compel them to bear a part in their mourning, and that in such a way as was usual with them, but forbidden to the Israelites, ; which probably was not unknown to them; and partly to fasten this as a reproach upon them, and to make them ridiculous and contemptible. Compare 47:2 50:6. Even to their buttocks: this was worse than the former, because the Israelites wore no breeches, and so their nakedness was hereby uncovered. Compare .

2 Samuel 10:4 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. Ver. 4. Wherefore Hanun took David’ s servants.] His ambassadors, whom to misuse was against the law of nations, and severely punished by the Romans upon the Corinthians, whose city they razed and destroyed for some contumelious speeches given to their ambassadors. But Hanun did not only reproach and revile these men, sed turpiter deformavit Legatorum vultum et vestitum, but basely deformed and abused them, which the Vulgate rendereth, Decalvavit, rasit, praecidit tunicas eorum, making it a threefold indignity and ignominy that he put upon them. And shaved off the one half of their beards.] Which, amongst the Greeks and the Egyptians, was wont to be done in derision and for a scorn. Imo apud omnes nationes probrosum est barbam vellere. But there was more in it than all this; for these Ammonites knew that the Israelites were forbidden either a shaven beard or a short garment. In despite therefore, likely, to their law, David’ s ambassadors are sent away with both. Julian the apostate served the Christians, whom he contumeliously called Galileans, in like sort, writing books against their gospel, and robbing them of their riches, that, as he said, they might go more readily to heaven. And cut off their garments.] Which the Hebrews wore long and side, both for ease and honesty. See Isaiah 20:4; Isaiah 47:2-3. As for those Christiansthat separate knowledge and good conscience, they deal by their holy calling, saith one, as Hanun did by David’ s servants, when he disguised them, and cut heir garments in the midst. Even to their buttocks.] That the shame of their nakedness might appear, and especially that of their circumcision, so derided by the heathen. “ Credat Iudaeus Apella ” Plut., in Ages. Herod. Euterp.

(4) Shaved off the one half of their beards.—According to Oriental ideas, the extremest insult which could have been inflicted. “Cutting off a person’s beard is regarded by the Arabs as an indignity quite equal to flogging and branding among ourselves. Many would rather die than have their beard shaved off (Arvieux, quoted by Keil). It is remarkable that in none of David’s wars does he appear as the aggressor.

Verse 4. Shaved off the one half of their beards] The beard is held in high respect in the East: the possessor considers it his greatest ornament; often swears by it; and, in matters of great importance, pledges it. Nothing can be more secure than a pledge of this kind; its owner will redeem it at the hazard of his life. The beard was never cut off but in mourning, or as a sign of slavery. Cutting off half of the beard and the clothes rendered the men ridiculous, and made them look like slaves: what was done to these men was an accumulation of insult.

4. shaved off the one half of their beards] Compare the story in Herodotus of the thief who made some guards drunk, and for an insult shaved their right cheeks (II. 121). No grosser insult could have been devised. The beard was and still is to an Oriental the badge of the dignity of manhood. It was only shaved as a sign of the deepest mourning. See Isaiah 15:2; Jeremiah 41:5. “Cutting off a person’s beard is regarded by the Arabs as an indignity equal to flogging and branding among ourselves. Many would rather die than have their beard shaved off.” D’Arvieux’ Customs of the Bedouin Arabs. A similar occurrence is said to have taken place in modern times. “In 1764 Kerim Khan, a pretender to the Persian throne, sent ambassadors to Mir Mahenna, the prince of Bendervigk, on the Persian Gulf, to demand tribute from him; but he in return cut off the ambassadors’ beards. Kerim Khan was so enraged at this that he went the next year with a large army to make war upon this prince, and took the city, and almost the whole of his territory, to avenge the insult.” Niebuhr’s Description of Arabia. cut off their garments] The ambassadors, who wore long dignified garments, were sent away in the shameful plight of captives. See Isaiah 20:4.

In 1 Chronicles 19:4, more concisely “shaved.” Cutting off a person’s beard is regarded by the Arabs as an indignity equal to flogging and branding among ourselves.

4. Shaved off the one half of their beards — “More ignominious than to remove it altogether, although that, among the ancient and modern eastern nations that cultivate the beard, was all offence not to be named without horror.