2 Sam
10:4, 6-14 (ESV) So Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half the beard
of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them
away.
. . .
6 When
the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent
and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot
soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob, 12,000
men. 7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty
men. 8 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance
of the gate, and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and
Maacah were by themselves in the open country.
9 When
Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he
chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. 10
The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed
them against the Ammonites. 11 And he said, "If the Syrians are too strong
for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you,
then I will come and help you. 12 Be of
good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of
our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him." 13 So Joab and the
people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled
before him. 14 And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise
fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting
against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.
NOTE: Well, it
doesn't appear that either the Ammonites or the hired Syrian mercenaries were
willing to die for the new young king Hanun and his stupidity, even when they
clearly outnumbered the Hebrews. Once again, David did the right thing by
sending a delegation to Ammon after the death of Hanun's father, but Hanun,
listening to his advisors decided there was evil intent in David's actions. The
result is a war that ends badly for the new king Hanun. I wonder what he
learned or if he learned anything? That is the difficulty of power, sometimes
we begin to think we are above everyone else and there is nothing we need to
learn.
I've learned a lot
in these last thirteen years working for my present employer. I definitely
don't know as much as I would like to know, and probably never will, but I want
to be a person who is always learning. I don't want to ever think that I have
arrived. I don't want to fail or to fail others. So, I pray as I enter my new
job, to be successful and a blessing to my new employer, and to be learning and
growing as a person and as a professional. God have mercy on me.
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