The Meaning of 2 Samuel 10:4 Explained

2 Samuel 10:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: And Hanun taketh the servants of David, and shaveth off the half of their beard, and cutteth off their long robes in the midst -- unto their buttocks, and sendeth them away;

Darby: And Hanun took David's servants, and had the one half of their beards shaved off, and their raiment cut off in the midst, as far as their buttocks, and sent them away.

ASV: So 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 10:4 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 10:1-19 - The Penalty Of Rejecting Kindness
A Jewish tradition tells us that Nahash, Hanun's father, had shown kindness to David by sheltering one of his brothers, when the king of Moab treacherously massacred the rest of the family. Civility is the daughter of Piety. The son had inherited his father's throne but not his spirit. He was misled by foolish advisers to offer a gross insult, not only to the ambassadors, but to the king and nation whom they represented.
Let us, however, contrast our Lord's dealings with those who ill-treated Him in the person of His disciples. When they had been refused by a certain village of the Samaritans, they appealed for fire from heaven; but Jesus reminded them that the dispensation in which Elijah had lived was past. The disciples were the children of a new age, and the only fire with which they could deal was that of love, Luke 9:54, etc. Yes, and afterward the baptism of the Holy Spirit was given to Samaria, perhaps to those very villages, Acts 8:1-40. It used to be said that the best way to secure the tenderest kindness of the great and saintly Archbishop Leighton was to show him a discourtesy. He had not followed his great Master in vain. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 10:4 mean?

Therefore took Hanun - servants of David and shaved off half of their beards and cut off their garments in the middle at their buttocks and sent them away
וַיִּקַּ֨ח חָנ֜וּן אֶת־ עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֗ד וַיְגַלַּח֙ חֲצִ֣י זְקָנָ֔ם וַיִּכְרֹ֧ת מַדְוֵיהֶ֛ם בַּחֵ֖צִי עַ֣ד שְׁתֽוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵֽם

וַיִּקַּ֨ח  Therefore  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
חָנ֜וּן  Hanun 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָנוּן  
Sense: son of Nahash and king of Ammon who dishonoured David’s ambassadors and lost the subsequent war with David.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עַבְדֵ֣י  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
דָוִ֗ד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וַיְגַלַּח֙  and  shaved  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּלַח  
Sense: to poll, shave, shave off, be bald.
חֲצִ֣י  half 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֲצִי 
Sense: half.
זְקָנָ֔ם  of  their  beards 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: זָקָן  
Sense: beard, chin.
וַיִּכְרֹ֧ת  and  cut  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
מַדְוֵיהֶ֛ם  their  garments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מָדוּ 
Sense: garment.
בַּחֵ֖צִי  in  the  middle 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲצִי 
Sense: half.
עַ֣ד  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
שְׁתֽוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם  their  buttocks 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שֵׁת  
Sense: seat (of body), buttocks.
וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵֽם  and  sent  them  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.