2 Samuel 10 in Hebrew, English & Transliteration

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Tenakh Study · 2 Samuel 10:1–19

2 Samuel, Chapter 10

שמואל ב י

David sends comforters to Chanun, the new king of Ammon, for his father’s sake. Chanun shames the envoys and hires Aram against Israel. Yo’av and Avishai defeat both on two fronts, and David himself breaks Aram at Chelam; Hadadezer’s vassals make peace with Israel.

10:1And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Chanun (Hanun) his son reigned in his stead.

Vayehi aḥarei-ḥen vayamot meleḥ benei Amon vayimloḥ Ḥanun beno taḥtav.

אוַֽיְהִי֙ אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיָּ֕מָת מֶ֖לֶךְ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ חָנ֥וּן בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

10:2Then said David, “I will show kindness unto Chanun the son of Nachash (Nahash), as his father showed kindness unto me.” And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

Vayomer David e'eseh-ḥesed im-Ḥanun ben-Naḥash ka'esher asah aviv imadi ḥesed vayishlaḥ David lenaḥamo beyad-avadav el-aviv vayavo'u avdei David eretz benei Amon.

בוַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶעֱשֶׂה־חֶ֣סֶד ׀ עִם־חָנ֣וּן בֶּן־נָחָ֗שׁ כַּאֱשֶׁר֩ עָשָֹ֨ה אָבִ֚יו עִמָּדִי֙ חֶ֔סֶד וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח דָּוִ֧ד לְנַחֲמ֛וֹ בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֖יו אֶל־אָבִ֑יו וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֔ד אֶ֖רֶץ בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃

10:3And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Chanun their lord, “Do you think that David honors your father, that he has sent comforters unto you? Has not David rather sent his servants unto you, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”

Vayomeru sarei venei-Amon el-Ḥanun adoneihem hameḥabed David et-aviḥa be'eineḥa ki-shalaḥ leḥa menaḥamim halo ba'avur ḥakor et-ha'ir uleragelah ulehafeḥah shalaḥ David et-avadav eleḥa.

גוַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ שָׂרֵ֨י בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֜וֹן אֶל־חָנ֣וּן אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֗ם הַֽמְכַבֵּ֨ד דָּוִ֚ד אֶת־אָבִ֙יךָ֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ כִּֽי־שָׁלַ֥ח לְךָ֖ מְנַֽחֲמִ֑ים הֲ֠לוֹא בַּעֲב֞וּר חֲקֹ֚ר אֶת־הָעִיר֙ וּלְרַגְּלָ֣הּ וּלְהָפְכָ֔הּ שָׁלַ֥ח דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־עֲבָדָ֖יו אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

10:4Therefore Chanun 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.

Vayikaḥ Ḥanun et-avdei David vayegalaḥ et-ḥatzi zekanam vayiḥrot et-madveihem baḥetzi ad shetoteihem vayeshaleḥem.

דוַיִּקַּ֨ח חָנ֜וּן אֶת־עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֗ד וַיְגַלַּח֙ אֶת־חֲצִ֣י זְקָנָ֔ם וַיִּכְרֹ֧ת אֶת־מַדְוֵיהֶ֛ם בַּחֵ֖צִי עַ֣ד שְׁתֽוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵֽם׃

10:5When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed; and the king said, “Tarry at Yericho (Jericho) until your beards are grown, and then return.”

Vayagidu leDavid vayishlaḥ likratam ki-hayu ha'anashim niḥlamim me'od vayomer hameleḥ shevu viRiḥo ad-yetzamaḥ zekanḥem veshavtem.

הוַיַּגִּ֚דוּ לְדָוִד֙ וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח לִקְרָאתָ֔ם כִּֽי־הָי֥וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים נִכְלָמִ֣ים מְאֹ֑ד וַיֹּ֚אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ שְׁב֣וּ בִֽירִיחוֹ עַד־יְצַמַּ֥ח זְקַנְכֶ֖ם וְשַׁבְתֶּֽם׃

Commentary · 10:1–5

A kindness refused

What had Nachash, king of Ammon, done for David? Rashi, following the Midrash, tells the story: when David fled from Shaul he left his parents and brothers with the king of Mo’av (1 Samuel 22:3–4), and the king of Mo’av killed them, except one brother who escaped to Nachash. Mo’av demanded him back; Nachash refused. “That is the kindness Nachash did for David” (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:1; Rashi and Radak on 10:2). It explains the severity against Mo’av in chapter 8, and the debt David owed Ammon.

The Ammonite princes hear a Torah argument in David’s kindness. Rashi puts it in their mouths: Israel is commanded concerning Ammon and Mo’av, “you shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days” (Deuteronomy 23:6), so David must be spying. The Midrash takes their side: “whoever comes to them with the attribute of mercy ends in disgrace. Who? David… and he had to fight four nations,” and it draws the lesson “be not righteous over much” (Ecclesiastes 7:16; Bamidbar Rabbah 21:5; Radak on 10:2). The chapter that ends in David’s great sin begins with David being kinder than the Torah asked. Radak explains the half beard: Israelites shaved only in mourning (Jeremiah 41:5), so to be shaved was a disgrace, and the robe was cut to the place that must be covered. David meets the shamed men with a king’s tact: “Tarry at Yericho until your beards are grown.”

Two fronts

10:6And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired Aram (the Syrians) of Beit Rechov (Beth-rehob), and Aram of Tzovah (Zoba), twenty thousand footmen, and of King Ma’achah (Maacah) a thousand men, and of Ish-Tov (Ish-tob) twelve thousand men.

Vayir'u benei Amon ki niv'ashu beDavid vayishleḥu venei-Amon vayiskeru et-Aram beit-Reḥov ve'et-Aram Tzova esrim elef ragli ve'et-meleḥ Ma'aḥah elef ish ve'Ish Tov sheneim-asar elef ish.

ווַיִּרְאוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן כִּ֥י נִבְאֲשׁ֖וּ בְּדָוִ֑ד וַיִּשְׁלְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֡וֹן וַיִּשְׂכְּרוּ֩ אֶת־אֲרַ֨ם בֵּית־רְח֜וֹב וְאֶת־אֲרַ֣ם צוֹבָ֗א עֶשְׂרִ֥ים אֶ֙לֶף֙ רַגְלִ֔י וְאֶת־מֶ֚לֶךְ מַֽעֲכָה֙ אֶ֣לֶף אִ֔ישׁ וְאִ֣ישׁ ט֔וֹב שְׁנֵים־עָשָֹ֥ר אֶ֖לֶף אִֽישׁ׃

10:7And when David heard of it, he sent Yo’av (Joab), and all the host of the mighty men.

Vayishma David vayishlaḥ et-Yo'av ve'et kol-hatzava hagiborim.

זוַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ אֶת־יוֹאָ֔ב וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־הַצָּבָ֖א הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃

10:8And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate; and Aram of Tzovah, and of Rechov, and Ish-Tov, and Ma’achah, were by themselves in the field.

Vayetze'u benei Amon vaya'arḥu milḥamah petaḥ hasha'ar va'Aram Tzova uReḥov ve'Ish-Tov uMa'aḥah levadam basadeh.

חוַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וַיַּעַרְכ֥וּ מִלְחָמָ֖ה פֶּ֣תַח הַשָּׁ֑עַר וַאֲרַ֨ם צוֹבָ֚א וּרְחוֹב֙ וְאִֽישׁ־ט֣וֹב וּמַֽעֲכָ֔ה לְבַדָּ֖ם בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃

10:9When Yo’av saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against Aram;

Vayar Yo'av ki-hayetah elav penei hamilḥamah mipanim ume'aḥor vayivḥar mikol beḥurei Yisra'el vaya'aroḥ likrat Aram.

טוַיַּ֣רְא יוֹאָ֗ב כִּֽי־הָיְתָ֚ה אֵלָיו֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה מִפָּנִ֖ים וּמֵֽאָח֑וֹר וַיִּבְחַ֗ר מִכֹּל֙ בְּחוּרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (כתיב ביִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל) וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֖ךְ לִקְרַ֥את אֲרָֽם׃

10:10and the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Avishai (Abishai) his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.

Ve'et yeter ha'am natan beyad Avshai aḥiv vaya'aroḥ likrat benei Amon.

יוְאֵת֙ יֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם נָתַ֕ן בְּיַ֖ד אַבְשַׁ֣י אָחִ֑יו וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֕ךְ לִקְרַ֖את בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃

10:11And he said, “If Aram is too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

Vayomer im-teḥezak Aram mimeni vehayitah li lishu'ah ve'im-benei Amon yeḥezku mimeḥa vehalaḥti lehoshia laḥ.

יאוַיֹּ֗אמֶר אִם־תֶּחֱזַ֚ק אֲרָם֙ מִמֶּ֔נִּי וְהָיִ֥תָה לִּ֖י לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה וְאִם־בְּנֵ֚י עַמּוֹן֙ יֶחֱזְק֣וּ מִמְּךָ֔ וְהָלַכְתִּ֖י לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַֽ לָֽךְ׃

10:12Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God; and Hashem do that which seems good to Him.”

Ḥazak venitḥazak be'ad-amenu uve'ad arei eloheinu va-Adonai ya'aseh hatov be'einav.

יבחֲזַ֚ק וְנִתְחַזַּק֙ בְּעַד־עַמֵּ֔נוּ וּבְעַ֖ד עָרֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַֽיהֹוָ֔ה יַעֲשֶֹ֥ה הַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃

10:13And Yo’av drew near, and the people who were with him, unto the battle against Aram; and they fled before him.

Vayigash Yo'av veha'am asher imo lamilḥamah ba'Aram vayanusu mipanav.

יגוַיִּגַּ֣שׁ יוֹאָ֗ב וְהָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִמּ֔וֹ לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה בַּֽאֲרָ֑ם וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ מִפָּנָֽיו׃

10:14And when the children of Ammon saw that Aram had fled, then they fled also before Avishai, and entered into the city. So Yo’av returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem).

Uvenei Amon ra'u ki-nas Aram vayanusu mipenei Avishai vayavo'u ha'ir vayashov Yo'av me'al benei Amon vayavo Yerushalayim.

ידוּבְנֵ֨י עַמּ֚וֹן רָאוּ֙ כִּי־נָ֣ס אֲרָ֔ם וַיָּנֻ֙סוּ֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י אֲבִישַׁ֔י וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ הָעִ֑יר וַיָּ֣שָׁב יוֹאָ֗ב מֵעַל֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וַיָּבֹ֖א יְרוּשָׁלָֽםִ׃

Commentary · 10:6–14

“Be of good courage”

Yo’av finds the battle “before and behind,” Ammon at the gate and Aram in the field, splits the army with Avishai and makes a pact: whoever is pressed, the other comes. Then the one speech in Scripture that we hear from Yo’av as a man of faith: “Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God; and Hashem do that which seems good to Him.” Radak reads it phrase by phrase: for our people, that they not fall to sword or captivity; for the cities of our God, that the enemy not settle them, “for then they would not be the cities of our God but the cities of other gods”; and Hashem will do what is good in His eyes, “for salvation is Hashem’s” (Radak on 10:12).

The Hebrew is ḥazak venitḥazak, “be strong and let us strengthen ourselves,” the words we say when we finish a book of the Torah. Yo’av gives his men everything a commander can give, courage and a plan, and puts the outcome in Hashem’s hands. That is the Torah’s picture of faith: not the absence of effort, but effort that does not pretend to control the result. Ammon runs back inside the city, and the siege is left unfinished. That unfinished siege is the setting for chapter 11.

Aram makes peace

10:15And when Aram saw that they were struck down before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

Vayar Aram ki nigaf lifnei Yisra'el vaye'asefu yaḥad.

טווַיַּ֣רְא אֲרָ֔ם כִּ֥י נִגַּ֖ף לִפְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּאָסְפ֖וּ יָֽחַד׃

10:16And Hadadezer (Hadarezer) sent, and brought out Aram who were beyond the river; and they came to Chelam (Helam); and Shovach (Shobach) the captain of the host of Hadadezer went before them.

Vayishlaḥ Hadad'ezer vayotze et-Aram asher me'ever hanahar vayavo'u Ḥeilam veShovaḥ sar-tzeva Hadad'ezer lifneihem.

טזוַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח הֲדַדְעֶ֗זֶר וַיֹּצֵ֚א אֶת־אֲרָם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ מֵעֵ֣בֶר הַנָּהָ֔ר וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ חֵילָֽם וְשׁוֹבַ֛ךְ שַׂר־צְבָ֥א הֲדַדְעֶ֖זֶר לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃

10:17And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Yarden (Jordan), and came to Chelam. And Aram set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

Vayugad leDavid vaye'esof et-kol-Yisra'el vaya'avor et-haYarden vayavo Ḥelamah vaya'arḥu Aram likrat David vayilaḥamu imo.

יזוַיֻּגַּ֣ד לְדָוִ֗ד וַיֶּאֱסֹ֚ף אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וַיָּבֹ֖א חֵלָ֑אמָה וַיַּעַרְכ֚וּ אֲרָם֙ לִקְרַ֣את דָּוִ֔ד וַיִּלָּחֲמ֖וּ עִמּֽוֹ׃

10:18And Aram fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of Aram, and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shovach the captain of their host, who died there.

Vayanos Aram mipenei Yisra'el vayaharog David me'Aram sheva me'ot reḥev ve'arba'im elef parashim ve'et Shovaḥ sar-tzeva'o hikah vayamot sham.

יחוַיָּ֣נָס אֲרָם֘ מִפְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג דָּוִ֜ד מֵאֲרָ֗ם שְׁבַ֚ע מֵאוֹת֙ רֶ֔כֶב וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף פָּרָשִׁ֑ים וְאֵ֨ת שׁוֹבַ֧ךְ שַׂר־צְבָא֛וֹ הִכָּ֖ה וַיָּ֥מָת שָֽׁם׃

10:19And when all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were struck down before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So Aram feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

Vayir'u ḥol-hamelaḥim avdei Hadad'ezer ki nigefu lifnei Yisra'el vayashlimu et-Yisra'el vaya'avdum vayir'u Aram lehoshia od et-benei Amon.

יטוַיִּרְא֨וּ כָֽל־הַמְּלָכִ֜ים עַבְדֵ֣י הֲדַדְעֶ֗זֶר כִּ֚י נִגְּפוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּשְׁלִ֥מוּ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וַיַּֽעַבְד֑וּם וַיִּֽרְא֣וּ אֲרָ֔ם לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ ע֖וֹד אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃

Commentary · 10:15–19

Aram makes peace

David himself crosses the Yarden and breaks Aram at Chelam; Shovach the general dies on the field, and Hadadezer’s vassal kings make peace with Israel. Radak reads chapters 10 and 11 as one story: “the return of the year” in 11:1 is counted from when these kings went out to war (Radak on 11:1). The wars of chapter 8 and chapter 10 are the same long war, told first in summary and then in detail.

The kingdom is at its height; every enemy is beaten and the king has nothing left to prove. The Torah warned the king about that moment: “lest his heart be lifted up above his brethren” (Deuteronomy 17:20). Rabbi Palvanov reminds us that Rambam defines the Messiah as a king who “meditates on the Torah and keeps the commandments like David his father” (Hilchot Melachim 11:4). What follows shows why the Torah had to say like David, and not simply David.

Sources & method

Hebrew text: The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), as published on Chabad.org. Every verse was checked character by character against Chabad’s Tenakh. Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type.
English translation: The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the familiar English name in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Shaul (Saul)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible.
Transliteration: Produced from the Hebrew with the open-source hebrew-transliteration library, adapted to Sephardic/Israeli pronunciation and reviewed by hand: ḥ for Chet and Chaf, tz for Tzadi, k for Kuf, and the Divine Name read “Adonai.” Names are capitalized.
Commentary: Written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective, in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith. It reads the passage first in its Torah setting, then with the Sages, and then with the witness of the Brit Hadashah. Its sources include the Talmud and Midrash, Rashi, Radak, Metzudat David, Rambam, the First Fruits of Zion End of Days lessons, and teachings of Rabbi Efraim Palvanov and Ariel Cohen Alloro. Numerical readings (gematria) are offered as hints, not proofs. It is shown by default; tap Commentary to hide it.
Hebrew font: SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.

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2 Samuel 10 (Shmuel Bet) in Hebrew, Transliteration and English

2 Samuel, Chapter 10

Sources & method