Reign of David
643
son and successor of the Ammonite king. “Said David, I will show
kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness
unto me.”
But his courteous act was misinterpreted. The Ammonites hated
the true God and were the bitter enemies of Israel. The apparent
kindness of Nahash to David had been prompted wholly by hostility
to Saul as king of Israel. The message of David was misconstrued
by Hanun’s counselors. They “said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest
thou that David doth honor 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?” It was by the advice
of his counselors that Nahash, half a century before, had been led
to make the cruel condition required of the people of Jabesh-gilead,
when, besieged by the Ammonites, they sued for a covenant of peace.
Nahash had demanded the privilege of thrusting out all their right eyes.
The Ammonites still vividly remembered how the king of Israel had
foiled their cruel design, and had rescued the people whom they would
have humbled and mutilated. The same hatred of Israel still prompted
them. They could have no conception of the generous spirit that had
inspired David’s message. When Satan controls the minds of men
he will excite envy and suspicion which will misconstrue the very
best intentions. Listening to his counselors, Hanun regarded David’s
messengers as spies, and loaded them with scorn and insult.
The Ammonites had been permitted to carry out the evil purposes
of their hearts without restraint, that their real character might be
revealed to David. It was not God’s will that Israel should enter into a
league with this treacherous heathen people.
In ancient times, as now, the office of ambassador was held sacred.
By the universal law of nations it ensured protection from personal
violence or insult. The ambassador standing as a representative of his
sovereign, any indignity offered to him demanded prompt retaliation.
[715]
The Ammonites, knowing that the insult offered to Israel would surely
be avenged, made preparation for war. “When the children of Ammon
saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the
children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them
chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah,
and out of Zobah. So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots....