When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
When David heard what had happened to them, he sent messengers to meet them, because the men were deeply humiliated. The king told them, 'Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, and then come home.'
King David showed compassion to his embarrassed ambassadors by letting them stay away until their dignity was restored.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 2 Samuel, King David sent messengers to the Ammonites to express sympathy after the death of their king, as a gesture of goodwill. However, the Ammonite king, Hanun, wrongly suspected them of being spies and humiliated them by shaving off half their beards and cutting their garments, an act that was deeply shameful in ancient Near Eastern culture. David responded with compassion, instructing the men to wait in Jericho until their beards grew back to avoid further public embarrassment.
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