Humiliation (part 1 of 2)

So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved off half of each one’s beard.  He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed, and then sent them away. – 2 Samuel 10:4  (NET)

During the reign of King David of Israel, the king of the Ammonites died.  His son, Hanun, was his successor.  David, in what is presented as a royal and dignified fashion, desired to reportedly send Hanun a sincere and heartfelt expression of his sympathy in the matter of Hanun’s father’s death, so he sent a detachment of his servants to bear his message.  These royal emissaries, however, were not well received.  Quite the contrary, in fact.  Instead of a friendly welcome, “the Ammonite officials said to their Lord Hanun, ‘Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy?  No, David has sent his servants to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it’.” (10:3) 

Hanun, perhaps still overcome with grief because of the death of his father and not yet thinking clearly, responds to the gesture from David, seizing upon the words of his officials and acting in what can only be described (at least according to the way that is presented by the author) as a dishonorable way.  “Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved off half of each one’s beard.  He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed, and then sent them away” (10:4). 

This was designed to shame these messengers---a key component of relationships in an honor and shame culture.  The beard, it must be remembered, was a mark of dignity and honor; and of course, cutting off the garments at the waist not only exposed their buttocks as can be read, but it also exposed the circumcision of these men, which was of major concern for the people of the covenant.  As the Scripture says here, “the men were thoroughly humiliated” (10:5b).  They had treated dishonorably and stripped of honor.  They had been shamed.

Reading stories such as these, one can comfortably reflect on the Apostle Paul’s words to the Corinthian church.  Though he was in the midst of referencing part of Israel’s trials in the wilderness, words such as “These things happened to them as examples and were written for our instruction” (1 Corinthians 10:11), spring readily to mind.  That said, how is this story about half-shaved beards and cut-off garments and humiliation written for the instruction of those that had their covenant participation marked by believing in Jesus as the Christ? 

In answering that question, one must always remember that the Scriptures represent a grand narrative with a continuous flow and contextual arrangement.  The Scriptures, when looked upon as a whole, present the story of the Creator God’s plan of redemption for mankind, doing so through the tale of Israel and of Israel’s Messiah, Jesus.  Owing to that narrative structure, as one is in the position to look back upon these events, Jesus comes into view.  When Jesus is able to be glimpsed, every effort must be made to see the Creator God’s all-important redemptive act for Israel and His creation, which was the ordeal of Jesus’ crucifixion.  When such an effort is undertaken, there is a reminder of this God’s faithfulness to His people, as continually demonstrated through His Word.