2 Samuel 10

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 19 verses.

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=35-37}} Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls including 4Q51 (4QSam{{sup|a}}; 100–50 BCE) with extant verses 4–7, 18–19.{{sfn|Ulrich|2010|pp=300–301}}[https://thewaytoyahuweh.com/dead-sea-scrolls/general-info/#2_samuel Dead sea scrolls - 2 Samuel]{{sfn|Fitzmyer|2008|p=35}}[https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/manuscript/4Q51-1 4Q51 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library]

Extant ancient manuscripts of a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint (originally was made in the last few centuries BCE) include Codex Vaticanus (B; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^A; 5th century).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=73-74}}{{efn|The whole book of 2 Samuel is missing from the extant Codex Sinaiticus.{{Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=Codex Sinaiticus}}}}

• {{bibleverse|2 Samuel|10:1–19|9}}: {{bibleverse|1 Chronicles|19:1–19|9}}[https://biblehub.com/bsb/2_Samuel/10.htm 2 Samuel 10], Berean Study Bible{{sfn|Steinmann|2017|pp=185–187}}

The historic wars with Ammon and Aram are recorded in 2 Samuel 10–12 in connection with the David-Bathsheba affair and the succession narrative thereafter.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=220}}

This chapter comprises 3 parts:{{sfn|Morrison|2013|p=126}}

1. Humiliation of David's envoys by the Ammonites (10:1–5)
2. Joab's victory over the Ammonites (10:6–14)
3. David's victory over the Arameans (10:15–19)

At the center of the chapter, Joab, David's commander, prayed for divine assistance: "may the Lord do what seems good to him" (verse 12) and God heard his prayer, confirming that God helps David (and his army) "wherever he went" (2 Samuel 8:6, 14).{{sfn|Morrison|2013|p=126}}

The section begins with a Hebrew clause "wayehî ’a-ḥă-rê-ḵên", "and-happened after this" ("after this" or "and it came to pass"),[https://biblehub.com/text/2_samuel/10-1.htm 2 Samuel 10:1 Hebrew Text Analysis]. Biblehub indicating an indeterminate period of time since the events of the last chapter.{{sfn|Morrison|2013|p=127}}{{efn|The clause "wayehî ’a-ḥă-rê-ḵên", "and-happened after this", occurs 10 times in the Hebrew Bible, six times in the Books of Samuel (1 Samuel 24:5; 2 Samuel 2:1; 8:1; 10:1; 13:1; 21:18) and twice in the parallel passages in the Books of Chronicles (1 Chronicles 18:1; 19:1), with twice in the Book of Judges{{sfn|Steinmann|2017|p=185}}}} The death of Nahash the king of the Ammonites, an ally of David, prompted David to send a mourning delegate to pay his respects and to maintain a good relationship with Hanun, Nahash's son and successor, but Hanun who suspected David's motives, humiliated the envoys.{{sfn|Jones|2007|pp=220–221}}

It was not uncommon in the region that during the transition of power a neighboring kingdom would attack an inexperienced king, just as the Philistines tried to attack David upon his anointing in Hebron (2 Samuel 2:1), or the Moabites rebelled against Ahaziah the new king of Israel, when Ahab, his father, was dead (2 Kings 1:1; 3:5).{{sfn|Morrison|2013|p=127}}

The structure of this section is as follows:{{sfn|Morrison|2013|p=127}}

:Setting (10:1)

:A. David sends envoys (10:2)

::B. Hanun hears accusations against the envoys (10:3a)

:::C. The accusations (10:3b)

::B'. Hanun believes the accusations and humiliates the envoys (10:4)

:A'. David's sends word to the envoys (9:5)

The episode begins and ends in David's court, while the central event happens in Hanun's court.{{sfn|Morrison|2013|p=127}}

:Then David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me."

:So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the people of Ammon.{{bibleref2|2 Samuel|10:2|NKJV}} NKJV

• "Show kindness": in Hebrew "khesed", which can be rendered as "do loyalty" (twice in this verse; cf. 2 Samuel 9:1).{{sfn|Morrison|2013|p=127}}Note on 2 Samuel 10:2 in NET Bible
• Nahash, king of the Ammonites, was Saul's enemy in 1 Samuel 11, so it is reasonable that he favored David.{{sfn|Steinmann|2017|p=185}} Nahash attacked Jabesh-Gilead in c. 1049 BCE, so until his death in c. 998 BCE, he must have reigned at least 51 years.{{sfn|Steinmann|2017|p=185}}

Facing imminent retaliation from David for the humiliation of Israelite envoys, the Ammonites asked help from the Arameans (verse 6), which turned attention to four Aramean states: Zobah and Beth-rehob to the south, Maacah (Aram-Maacah in 1 Chronicles 19:6) north of Manasseh in Transjordan, and Tob, further south.{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=221}} Comparing with the narrative in 2 Samuel 8:3–5, the course of the Aramean conflict could be reconstructed as follows:

• a first battle outside the gate of Rabbah (10:6–14);
• a second battle in the region of Helem in northern Gilead (10:15–19);
• a final and decisive battle in which Hadadezer's coalition was conquered (8:3–8).{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=221}}

Joab successfully fought battle in Rabbah on two fronts, but was not in a position to take more advantage, so he returned to Jerusalem (verse 14).{{sfn|Jones|2007|p=221}}

:When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.{{bibleref2|2 Samuel|10:14|NET}} NET Bible

• "Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem": in Hebrew: "“and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered Jerusalem.”Note on 2 Samuel 10:14 in NET Bible

The fight under the leadership of David himself gave a much better result: the Syrians fled before David, who killed many of them, including Shobach, Hadadezer's commander (verse 18), effectively neutralizing the power of Aram.{{sfn|Steinmann|2017|p=187}} After this defeat Hadadezer's vassals transferred their allegiance to David (verse 19). {{sfn|Jones|2007|p=221}}

: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 were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.{{bibleref2|2 Samuel|10:19|ESV}} ESV

There is a Hebrew wordplay in this verse: Hadarezer's servants "see" (wayyir'u) that they are defeated, so the Syrians (Arameans) "fear" (wayyire'u) to help the Ammonites again.{{sfn|Morrison|2013|pp=126, 133}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Syria
• Beard
• Chariot
• Helam
• Horses in warfare
• Ishtob
• Jerusalem
• Jericho
• Jordan River
• Israel

}}

{{Portal|Bible}}

• Related Bible parts: 1 Samuel 11, 2 Samuel 8, 1 Chronicles 19

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{Cite book|last=Auld|first=Graeme|chapter=1 & 2 Samuel|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA213 |editor=James D. G. Dunn and John William Rogerson|title=Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible|publisher=Eerdmans|year=2003|isbn=9780802837110}}
• {{Cite book|last=Bergen|first=David T.|title=1, 2 Samuel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eGT6fWsajqcC |publisher=B&H Publishing Group|year=1996|isbn=9780805401073}}
• {{Cite book| last=Chapman |first= Stephen B. |title= 1 Samuel as Christian Scripture: A Theological Commentary |publisher= Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company |year= 2016 |isbn= 978-1467445160 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kS4XDAAAQBAJ }}
• {{cite book | last = Collins | first = John J. | title = Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures |chapter = Chapter 14: 1 Samuel 12 – 2 Samuel 25 | pages = 277–296 |publisher = Fortress Press|year = 2014 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fbsoBAAAQBAJ |isbn = 978-1451469233}}
• {{Cite book| last=Evans |first= Paul |title= 1-2 Samuel | series = The Story of God Bible Commentary | editor-first= Tremper | editor-last= Longman |publisher= Zondervan Academic |year= 2018 |isbn= 978-0310490944 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Uy8-DwAAQBAJ }}
• {{Cite book|last=Gordon|first=Robert|title=I & II Samuel, A Commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JMJ1ZAnswuUC&dq=I+%26+II+Samuel:+a+commentary+Gordon&pg=PA338|publisher=Paternoster Press |year=1986 |isbn=9780310230229}}
• {{Cite book|last=Hertzberg|first=Hans Wilhelm|title=I & II Samuel, A Commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=friNN7IdjOIC&q=Saul+appointed+anointed+instituted&pg=PA19|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|year=1964|edition=trans. from German 2nd edition 1960|isbn=978-0664223182|page=19}}
• {{Cite book|last=Morrison|first=Craig E.|title=Berit Olam: 2 Samuel|url= |publisher=Liturgical Press|year=2013|isbn=978-0814682913}}
• {{Cite book|last=Steinmann | first= Andrew | title = 2 Samuel | series = Concordia commentary: a theological exposition of sacred scripture | publisher = Concordia Publishing House | year = 2017 | isbn= 9780758650061}}

{{Refend}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{Cite book|last=Breytenbach|first=Andries|title=Past, Present, Future: the Deuteronomistic History and the Prophets |publisher= Brill| year=2000|chapter=Who Is Behind The Samuel Narrative? |chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=uP22QHpnKq8C&pg=PA50|editor=Johannes Cornelis de Moor and H.F. Van Rooy|isbn=9789004118713}}
• {{cite book | last= Coogan| first = Michael David | author-link= Michael D. Coogan | title = The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 | editor-last1 = Coogan | editor-first1= Michael David | editor-first2 = Marc Zvi | editor-last2 = Brettler | editor-first3 = Carol Ann | editor-last3 = Newsom | editor-first4= Pheme | editor-last4 = Perkins | edition= Augmented 3rd | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 2007 |isbn = 978-0195288810 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HmpMPgAACAAJ}}
• {{cite book|last = Fitzmyer|first = Joseph A.|authorlink= Joseph Fitzmyer |title = A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature|publisher = William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=TILXeWJ2eNAC | year = 2008|isbn = 9780802862419|location = Grand Rapids, MI}}
• {{cite book | last= Halley | first= Henry H. | author-link= Henry Hampton Halley | title= Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary |edition=24th (revised)| publisher= Zondervan Publishing House | date= 1965 | url= https://archive.org/details/halleysbiblehand00henr | url-access= registration| isbn= 0-310-25720-4}}
• {{Cite book | last = Hayes | first = Christine | title = Introduction to the Bible |publisher = Yale University Press | year = 2015 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=SKbkXYHxvlAC |isbn = 978-0300188271}}
• {{cite book|last= Jones | first= Gwilym H. | chapter = 12. 1 and 2 Samuel | title=The Oxford Bible Commentary | editor-first1=John | editor-last1 = Barton | editor1-link = John Barton (theologian) | editor-first2=John | editor-last2= Muddiman | editor2-link = John Muddiman | publisher = Oxford University Press | edition= first (paperback) | year = 2007 | pages = 196–232 | isbn = 978-0199277186 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ | access-date=February 6, 2019}}
• {{Cite book|last=Klein|first=R.W.|chapter=Samuel, books of|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6OJvO2jMCr8C |editor=Bromiley, Geoffrey W|title=The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia|publisher=Eerdmans|year=2003|isbn=9780802837844}}
• {{Cite book|last=Knight|first=Douglas A|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SNLN1nEEys0C&q=630+BCE&pg=PA62|editor=James Luther Mays, David L. Petersen and Kent Harold Richards|chapter=Chapter 4 Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomists|title=Old Testament Interpretation|publisher=T&T Clark|year=1995|isbn=9780567292896 }}
• {{Cite book | last= McKane | first= William | chapter= Samuel, Book of |editor1-last = Metzger | editor1-first = Bruce M |editor1-link = Bruce M. Metzger | editor2-last = Coogan | editor2-first = Michael D | title = The Oxford Companion to the Bible | url= https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780195046458 | url-access= registration | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 1993 | pages= [https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780195046458/page/409 409]–413 | isbn = 978-0195046458 }}
• {{Cite book | editor-last = Ulrich | editor-first = Eugene | title = The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants | year = 2010 | publisher = Brill | url = https://archive.org/details/TheBiblicalQumranScrolls }}
• {{cite book | last = Würthwein | first = Ernst | author-link = Ernst Würthwein | title = The Text of the Old Testament | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans |location = Grand Rapids, MI | year= 1995 | translator-first1 = Erroll F.| translator-last1 = Rhodes | isbn = 0-8028-0788-7 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FSNKSBObCYwC | access-date= January 26, 2019}}

{{Refend}}

• Jewish translations:
• [https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15870/showrashi/true Samuel II - II Samuel - Chapter 10 (Judaica Press)]. Hebrew text and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
• [http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=2+Samuel+10 Online Bible at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
• [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=10&chapter=10&version=9 2 Samuel chapter 10. Bible Gateway]

{{Second Book of Samuel}}

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