2 Samuel 10 Explained – A 5 Minute Bible Study

2 Samuel 10 Short Summary:

In 2 Samuel 10, the servants of Hanun, the Ammonite, shame David’s servants by cutting off half their beards and half of their garments. David attacks the Ammonites and defeats them. Then, the Syrians, under the command of Hadadezer and Shoback, rise up against Israel. God gives David a decisive victory and the Syrians are forced to be the servants of Israel.

What is 2 Samuel 10 About?

WHEN:

• Saul died in approximately 1055 B.C., after reigning over Israel for 40 years.

• David became king over Judah the same year. He reigned over Judah for 7 years and 6 months, before becoming king over all Israel. His reign over all Judah and Israel lasted 33 years.

CHARACTERS:

• Hanun – King of the Ammonites. He took the throne after the death of his father, Nahash.

• David – The second king over all Israel and Judah.

• Joab – Commander of the army of Israel.

• Hadadezer – King of Zobah (8:3). Most historians believe Zobab was in the region of Syria.

• Shobach – The commander of Hadadezer’s army.

WHERE:

• The Ammonites lived on the east side of the Jordan River.

• The Israelites appear to have fought the Ammonites and Syrians around Medeba (1 Chr 19:7).

• The Israelites fought the army of Hadadezer at Halem.

OUTLINE:

• THE AMMONITES SHAME DAVID’S SERVANTS (10:1-5):

  • Nahash, the king of Ammon, died and was replaced by his son, Hanun.

    Nahash had been an ally of David’s, so David sent messengers to console Hanun.

    But Hanun’s advisors convinced him David’s messengers were spies.

    Hanun shamed the messengers by cutting off half their beards and half their clothing and sending them home.

• JOAB LEADS ISRAEL’S ARMY AGAINST THE AMMONITES AND SYRIANS (10:6-14):

  • David was so offended that he brought his army out against the Ammonites.

  • The Ammonites hired 33,000 men, many of which were Syrians, to fight the Israelites.

  • Joab and his brother led the army of Israel against their enemies, and God gave them victory.

  • The Syrians and Ammonites fled, and the Israelites returned home.

• ISRAEL FIGHTS THE SYRIANS AGAIN AT HELAM (10:14-19):

  • The Syrians regrouped their army under the command of Hadadezer (8:3) and his commander, Shobach.

  • David met them for battle at a placed called Helam.

  • Once again, the Israelites defeated the Syrians, killing the men of 700 chariots and 40,000 horsemen.

  • Shobach was mortally wounded during the battle.

  • Hadadezer’s men were forced to surrender and become servants to the Israelites.

APPLICATION:

• Joab encouraged his men, saying, “Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to him” (10:12).

• Joab rallied his men to fight courageously, but he also acknowledged it was God who was ultimately going to decide the outcome of the battle.

• It is right and good to work hard towards the outcomes we would like to see, but we must always remember that there is more to the equation than just our personal effort.

• Human effort isn’t the most powerful force at work in the universe.