Insult Brings War (2 Samuel 10)

Do well-educated, intelligent world leaders know the way to peace? Where do wars and fights come from? Let’s begin in 2 Samuel 10.

Did the Ammonite king humiliate a peaceful delegation sent by David?

Sometime later, the Ammonite king died and his son Hanun succeeded him as king, so David told himself, “I will be loyal to Nahash’s son Hanun, since in his loyalty his father showed gracious love to me.” So David sent a delegation to Hanun to console him about his loss of his father. But when David’s delegation arrived in Ammonite territory, the Ammonite officials asked their lord Hanun, “Do you think that because David has sent a delegation of consolers to you that he is honoring your father? His delegation has arrived intending to search, scout the land, and then overthrow it, hasn’t it?” So Hanun arrested David’s delegation, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their clothes at the waist line, and sent them away in disgrace. (2 Samuel 10:1-4 ISV)

Did the Ammonites’ insult of a diplomatic mission lead to military conflict?

When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return. And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men. And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field. (2 Samuel 10:5-8 KJV)

Did David’s commander Joab succeed in battle against the foreign armies?

Then Joab saw that the battle was set against him from the front and from the rear. So he chose from all the choice men of Israel, and they arranged themselves to meet the Arameans. But the remainder of the people he put in the hand of Abishai his brother; and he arranged them to meet the sons of Ammon. And he said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall save me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to save you. Be strong, and let us show strength for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may Yahweh do what is good in His sight.” So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him. Now the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled. So they also fled before Abishai and came into the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 10:9-14 LSB)

Did David lead a second successful force against the Arameans?

When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they assembled together. And Hadadezer sent word and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam; and Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer led them. Now when it was reported to David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Arameans lined up against David and fought him. But the Arameans fled from Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers of the Arameans and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there. When all the kings, servants of Hadadezer, saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the sons of Ammon anymore. (2 Samuel 10:15-19 NASB)

Do our very intelligent, well-educated world leaders even know the way to peace?

The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks along them will know peace. (Isaiah 59:8 NIV)

Why do nations fight and send innocent citizens to die in battle?

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James 4:1-3 NKJV)

Do well-educated, intelligent world leaders know the way to peace? Where do wars and fights come from? You decide!