2 samuel 10:6 - When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.

Generated Verse: 2 samuel 10:6

What does "2 samuel 10:6" mean?


This verse from 2 Samuel 10:6 describes the reaction of the Ammonites after they realized they had severely offended King David and his people. Let's break it down:

"When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David...": The Ammonites realized they were in serious trouble with David. The term "odious" means intensely disliked or hated. This likely refers to the insult Hanun, the king of Ammon, inflicted on David's messengers in the previous verses (2 Samuel 10:1-5). Hanun humiliated David's envoys by shaving off half their beards and cutting off their garments in the middle, a deep insult in that culture.

"...the children of Ammon sent and hired...": The Ammonites understood they were not strong enough to face David's army alone. Therefore, they decided to hire mercenaries.

"...the Syrians of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen...": The Ammonites hired 20,000 foot soldiers (infantry) from two Syrian kingdoms or regions: Beth Rehob and Zobah. These were likely independent city-states or small kingdoms within Syria.

"...and the king of Maacah with one thousand men...": They also hired 1,000 men from the king of Maacah, another small kingdom or territory, likely located near the Golan Heights.

"...and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.": Lastly, they hired 12,000 men from the region of Tob. Tob was likely a tribal territory east of the Jordan River.

In essence, this verse means:

The Ammonites, knowing they had provoked David's anger and fearing his retaliation, sought military assistance by hiring a large mercenary army. They paid for soldiers from various Syrian and Transjordanian regions to bolster their forces in anticipation of a war with Israel. This shows their fear of David's power and their attempt to create a strong enough army to defend themselves.

The verse sets the stage for the ensuing conflict between Israel and Ammon, with the involvement of several other regional powers.

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