2 Samuel 10:3
New International Version
the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?”

New Living Translation
the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!”

English Standard Version
But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?”

Berean Standard Bible
the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?”

King James Bible
And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

New King James Version
And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”

New American Standard Bible
the commanders of the Ammonites said to their lord Hanun, “Do you think that David is simply honoring your father since he has sent you servants to console you? Has David not sent his servants to you in order to explore the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?”

NASB 1995
the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent consolers to you? Has David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?”

NASB 1977
the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent consolers to you? Has David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?”

Legacy Standard Bible
But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “In your eyes, is David honoring your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?”

Amplified Bible
But the princes of the Ammonites [were suspicious and] said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?”

Christian Standard Bible
the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent men with condolences for you, do you really believe he’s showing respect for your father? Instead, hasn’t David sent his emissaries in order to scout out the city, spy on it, and demolish it? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent men with condolences for you, do you really believe he’s showing respect for your father? Instead, hasn’t David sent his emissaries in order to scout out the city, spy on it, and demolish it?”

American Standard Version
But the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David sent his servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the Princes of the sons of Amun said to Khanun their Lord: “Was David surely honoring your father in your eyes because he sent you comforters? Was it not to spy the city and to search it and to overthrow it that David sent his Servants to you?”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Annon their lord, Is it to honour thy father before thee that David has sent comforters to thee? Has not David rather sent his servants to thee that they should search the city, and spy it out and examine it?

Contemporary English Version
But Hanun's officials told him, "Do you really believe David is honoring your father by sending these people to comfort you? He probably sent them to spy on our city, so he can destroy it."

Douay-Rheims Bible
The princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanon their lord: Thinkest thou that for the honour of thy father, David hath sent comforters to thee, and hath not David rather sent his servants to thee to search, and spy into the city, and overthrow it?

English Revised Version
But the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David sent his servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
the Ammonite princes asked their master Hanun, "Do you think David is honoring your father because he sent men to comfort you? Hasn't David sent his men to explore the city, spy on it, and destroy it?"

Good News Translation
the Ammonite leaders said to the king, "Do you think that it is in your father's honor that David has sent these men to express sympathy to you? Of course not! He has sent them here as spies to explore the city, so that he can conquer us!"

International Standard Version
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?"

JPS Tanakh 1917
But the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord: 'Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David sent his servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?'

Literal Standard Version
And the heads of the sons of Ammon say to their lord Hanun, “Is David honoring your father in your eyes because he has sent comforters to you? For has David not sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it, and to overthrow it?”

Majority Standard Bible
the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?”

New American Bible
the Ammonite princes said to their lord Hanun, “Do you think David is doing this—sending you these consolers—to honor your father? Is it not rather to explore the city, to spy on it, and to overthrow it, that David has sent his servants to you?”

NET Bible
the Ammonite officials said to their lord Hanun, "Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!"

New Revised Standard Version
the princes of the Ammonites said to their lord Hanun, “Do you really think that David is honoring your father just because he has sent messengers with condolences to you? Has not David sent his envoys to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”

New Heart English Bible
But the leaders of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn't David sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, that he hath sent comforters to thee? hath not David rather sent his servants to thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

World English Bible
But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”

Young's Literal Translation
And the heads of the Bene-Ammon say unto Hanun their lord, 'Is David honouring thy father in thine eyes because he hath sent to thee comforters? for to search the city, and to spy it, and to overthrow it, hath not David sent his servants unto thee?'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Messengers Disgraced
2And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent some of his servants to console Hanun concerning his father. But when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites, 3the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?” 4So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.…

Cross References
Genesis 42:9
Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, "You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable."

Genesis 42:16
Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"

1 Chronicles 19:3
the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, "Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Have not his servants come to you to explore the land, spy it out, and overthrow it?"


Treasury of Scripture

And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Think you that David does honor your father, that he has sent comforters to you? has not David rather sent his servants to you, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

Genesis 42:9,16
And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come…

1 Corinthians 13:5,7
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; …

Jump to Previous
Ammon Ammonite Ammonites Children City Comforters David Express Hanun Hasn't Honor Honoring Honors Honour Nobles Order Overthrow Princes Rather Search Sending Servants Spy Sympathy Think Thinkest
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Ammon Ammonite Ammonites Children City Comforters David Express Hanun Hasn't Honor Honoring Honors Honour Nobles Order Overthrow Princes Rather Search Sending Servants Spy Sympathy Think Thinkest
2 Samuel 10
1. David's messengers, sent to comfort Hanun are villainously treated
6. The Ammonites, strengthened by the Syrians, overcome by Joab and Abishai
15. Shobuch, making a new supply of the Syrains at Helam, is slain by David














(3) To search the city.--The capital, and almost the only city of the Ammonites was Rabbah; it was strongly fortified, and a knowledge of its interior would be important to an enemy. The suspicions of the Ammonites may have been roused by David's growing power, and especially by his conquest of the neighbouring Moabites.

Verse 3. - Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father! This insinuation arose probably from ill will, stirred up by David's success in war; and, with that distrust with which neighbouring nations too often regard one another, they see in his embassy only a purpose of spying into their defences with view to future attack. Rabbah, their city, was a place strong beth naturally and by reason of its fortifications.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
the princes
שָׂרֵ֨י (śā·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

of the Ammonites
בְנֵֽי־ (ḇə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

said
וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Hanun
חָנ֣וּן (ḥā·nūn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2586: Hanun -- 'favored', two contemporaries of Nehemiah, also an Ammonite king

their lord,
אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֗ם (’ă·ḏō·nê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

“Just because
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

David has sent
שָׁלַ֥ח (šā·laḥ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

you
לְךָ֖ (lə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

comforters,
מְנַֽחֲמִ֑ים (mə·na·ḥă·mîm)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 5162: To sigh, breathe strongly, to be sorry, to pity, console, rue, to avenge

do you really believe
בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ (bə·‘ê·ne·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

he is
דָּוִ֤ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

showing respect
הַֽמְכַבֵּ֨ד (ham·ḵab·bêḏ)
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3513: To be heavy, weighty, or burdensome

for your father?
אָבִ֙יךָ֙ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

Has not
הֲ֠לוֹא (hă·lō·w)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

David
דָּוִ֛ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

[instead] sent
שָׁלַ֥ח (šā·laḥ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

his servants
עֲבָדָ֖יו (‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

to
בַּעֲב֞וּר (ba·‘ă·ḇūr)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5668: Crossed, transit, on account of, in order that

explore
חֲק֤וֹר (ḥă·qō·wr)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 2713: To penetrate, to examine intimately

the city,
הָעִיר֙ (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

spy it out,
וּלְרַגְּלָ֣הּ (ū·lə·rag·gə·lāh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7270: To walk along, to reconnoiter, to be a, tale-bearer, to lead about

and overthrow it?�
וּלְהָפְכָ֔הּ (ū·lə·hā·p̄ə·ḵāh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2015: To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, pervert


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OT History: 2 Samuel 10:3 But the princes of the children (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 10:2
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