Atomic Bible

An Ammonite king who mistreated David's envoys.

Hanun

Named in 8 verses across 2 books, first in 2 Samuel 10:1.

חָנוּןHanun

The name means “gracious; merciful.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

Father
Nahash
People
Ammon

About Hanun Written by AI

Hanun was the king of the Ammonites during the reign of King David of Israel. He is mentioned in 2Samuel 10 and 1Chronicles 19. After the death of Hanun's father, Nahash, who had shown kindness to David, David sent envoys to express his sympathy to Hanun (2 Samuel 10:1 to 2; 1 Chronicles 19:1 to 2). However, Hanun's advisors convinced him that David's envoys were spies, so Hanun humiliated them by shaving off half of their beards and cutting their garments short (2 Samuel 10:3 to 4; 1 Chronicles 19:3 to 4). This act was a grave insult and a violation of diplomatic protocol. When David heard about this, he was outraged and prepared for war against the Ammonites (2 Samuel 10:5 to 7; 1 Chronicles 19:6 to 7). Hanun, realizing his mistake, hired Syrian mercenaries to help him fight against Israel (2 Samuel 10:6; 1 Chronicles 19:6 to 7). However, the Israelite army, led by Joab and Abishai, defeated the Ammonites and their Syrian allies (2 Samuel 10:8 to 14; 1 Chronicles 19:8 to 15). The conflict continued, and David himself later joined the battle, capturing the Ammonite capital, Rabbah (2 Samuel 12:26 to 31; 1 Chronicles 20:1 to 3). Hanun's mistreatment of David's envoys and the resulting war highlight the importance of diplomatic relations and the consequences of disrespecting allies in the ancient Near East.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

This entry is on the name Hanun, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.

Graciously given. (1.) The son and successor of Nahash, king of Moab. David’s messengers, sent on an embassy of condolence to him to Rabbah Ammon, his capital, were so grossly insulted that he proclaimed war against Hanun. David’s army, under the command of Joab, forthwith crossed the Jordan, and gained a complete victory over the Moabites and their allies (2 Sam. 10:1-14) at Medeba (q.v.).

(2.) Neh. 3:13. (3.) 3:30.

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names him

  1. 2 Samuel 10:1

    Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun.

  2. 2 Samuel 10:2

    And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent some of his servants to console Hanun concerning his father. But when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites,

  3. 2 Samuel 10:3

    the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?”

  4. 2 Samuel 10:4

    So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.

  5. 1 Chronicles 19:2

    And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console Hanun concerning his father. But when David’s servants arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him,

  6. 1 Chronicles 19:3

    the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Have not his servants come to you to explore the land, spy it out, and overthrow it?”

  7. 1 Chronicles 19:4

    So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved their beards, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.

  8. 1 Chronicles 19:6

    When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah.

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.