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.
So Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half of each man's beard. He also cut their robes in half, right up to their buttocks, and then sent them away.
This verse shows how Hanun deliberately humiliated David's messengers by shaving their beards and cutting their clothes to expose them shamefully.
📚 Historical Context
This incident occurred when David sent ambassadors to comfort Hanun after his father's death, but Hanun's advisors convinced him that David's men were actually spies. In ancient Middle Eastern culture, a man's beard was a symbol of dignity and honor, and forcibly shaving it was a severe public humiliation. Similarly, cutting someone's garments to expose their private parts was an act of deliberate shame and disgrace.
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