David sent a delegation to Hanun, the son of the Ammonite king Nahash who had just died because his father had shown kindness to him. Scriptures do not tell us clearly how he had shown kindness to David. Perhaps he had given him asylum during Saul’s reign because he sought to kill David, which made Saul their common enemy (cf. 1 Sam 11).

We can hardly believe the Ammonite commanders’ foolish advice to Hanun in responding to David’s genuine expression of kindness and goodwill. They suspected he had sinister motives behind sending his delegates to express his condolences (3). The Ammonite commanders then broke protocol for international relations and humiliated David’s royal delegates (4). It was tantamount to a declaration of war.

The Ammonites’ unnecessary war cost them numerous lives and much wealth (6,7,18). They also lost their ally the Arameans to David after the war (19). It was a tragic consequence of not responding properly to the person who had all intentions of friendship and goodwill.
Application: Father, help me not to be proud before God and men, especially those who show love and kindness to me. May I reciprocate their love and kindness appropriately. Amen.
One Word: “Pride goes before destruction” (Prov. 16:18a)