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1 Chronicles 19:4

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Chronicles 19:4 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “So Hanun took David`s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

So Hanun took David`s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
1 Chronicles 19:4 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Chronicles 19

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1And it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.
2And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David`s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.
3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?
4So Hanun took David`s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
5Then there went certain persons, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
6And 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 Arammaacah, and out of Zobah.
7So they hired them thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.
← 1 Chronicles 19:31 Chronicles 19:5 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“shaved them--not completely, but only the half of their face. This disrespect to the beard, and indecent exposure of their persons by their clothes being cut off from the girdle downwards, was the grossest indignity to which Jews, in common with all Orientals, could be subjected. No wonder that the men were ashamed to appear in public--that the king recommended them to remain in seclusion on the border till the mark of their disgrace had disappeared--and then they might, with propriety, return to the court.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“took David's: Psa 35:12, Psa 109:4, Psa 109:5 shaved them: Lev 19:27; Isa 15:2; Jer 41:5, Jer 48:37 and cut: Isa 20:4, Isa 47:2, Isa 47:3 sent them: Sa2 10:4, Sa2 10:5; Ch2 36:16; Mar 12:4; Luk 20:10, Luk 20:11 1 Chronicles 19:5”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification