2 Samuel 10 · Verse 3

2 Samuel 10:3

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?
2 Samuel 10:3, King James Version

2 Samuel 10:3 in other translations

BSBthe 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?”
WEBBut 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?”
ASVBut 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?
YLTAnd 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?'
DARBYAnd the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Is it, in thine eyes, to honour thy father that David has sent comforters to thee? Is it not to search the city and to spy it out, and to overthrow it, that David has sent his servants to thee?
BBEBut the chiefs of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Does it seem to you that David is honouring your father by sending comforters to you? has he not sent his servants to go through the town and make secret observation of it, and overcome it?
WebsterAnd 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?

What does 2 Samuel 10:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun--Their suspicion was not warranted either by any overt act or by any cherished design of David: it must have originated in their knowledge of the denunciations of God's law against them (De 23:3-6), and of David's policy in steadfastly adhering to it.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father - It has been a matter of just complaint through all the history of mankind, that there is little sincerity in courts. Courtiers, especially, are suspicious of each other, and often mislead their sovereigns. They feel themselves to be insincere, and suspect others to be so too.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 10:1-5

Chapter Outline David's messengers ill-treated by Hanun. (1-5) The Ammonites defeated. (6-14) The Syrians defeated. (15-19) Verses 1-5 Nahash had been an enemy to Israel, yet had showed kindness to David. David therefore resolves gratefully to return it. If a Pharisee gives alms in pride, though God will not reward it, yet he that receives the alms ought to return thanks for it. Those who bear ill-will to their…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 10:1-5 →

2 Samuel 10:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩vai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
שָׂרֵ֨יsa.Rei[the] leaders ofH8269
בְנֵֽי\־ve.nei-[the] people ofH1121
עַמּ֜וֹןa.MonAmmonH5983
אֶל\־'el-toH413
חָנ֣וּןcha.NunHanunH2586
אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֗ם'a.do.nei.Hemlord<s> theirH113
הַֽמְכַבֵּ֨דham.kha.Bed¿ honoringH3513
דָּוִ֤דda.Vid[is] DavidH1732
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אָבִ֙יךָ֙'a.Vi.khafather yourH1
בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָbe.'ei.Nei.khain view yourH5869
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
שָׁלַ֥חsha.Lachhe has sentH7971
לְךָ֖le.Khato <the> you
מְנַֽחֲמִ֑יםme.na.cha.MimcomfortersH5162
הֲ֠לוֹאHa.lo'¿ notH3808
בַּעֲב֞וּרba.'a.Vurin orderH5668
חֲק֤וֹרcha.Korto exploreH2713
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָעִיר֙ha.'Irthe cityH5892
וּלְרַגְּלָ֣הּu.le.ra.ge.Lahand to spy on itH7270
וּלְהָפְכָ֔הּu.le.ha.fe.Khahand to overthrow itH2015
שָׁלַ֥חsha.Lachhas he sentH7971
דָּוִ֛דda.VidDavidH1732
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עֲבָדָ֖יו'a.va.Davservants hisH5650
אֵלֶֽיךָ\׃'e.Lei.khato youH413

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 10:3

  • Genesis 42:9

    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.

  • Genesis 42:16

    Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

  • 1 Corinthians 13:7

    Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

  • 1 Corinthians 13:5

    Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Thinkest thou that David doth. Heb. In thine eyes dothDavid. not.
Ge 42:9,16; 1Co 13:5,7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 10:2

    Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed 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.

  • 2 Samuel 10:3

    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?

  • 2 Samuel 10:4

    Wherefore Hanun 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.

Read all of 2 Samuel 10

2 Samuel 10:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Los príncipes de los hijos de Ammón dijeron á Hanún su señor: ¿Te parece que por honrar David á tu padre te ha enviado consoladores? ¿no ha enviado David sus siervos á ti por reconocer é inspeccionar la ciudad, para destruirla?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et les chefs des fils d’Ammon dirent à Hanun, leur seigneur: Est-ce, à tes yeux, pour honorer ton père que David t’a envoyé des consolateurs? N’est-ce pas pour reconnaître la ville, et pour l’explorer, et pour la détruire, que David t’a envoyé ses serviteurs?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da sprachen die Fürsten der Kinder Ammon zu Hanun, ihrem Herrn: Ehrt wohl David deinen Vater in deinen Augen, daß er Tröster zu dir gesandt hat? Hat nicht David seine Knechte zu dir gesandt, um die Stadt zu erforschen und sie auszukundschaften und sie umzukehren?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
dixerunt principes filiorum Ammon ad Hanon dominum suum: Putas quod propter honorem patris tui miserit David ad te consolatores, et non ideo ut investigaret, et exploraret civitatem, et everteret eam, misit David servos suos ad te?