2 Samuel 10:6-14 – Facing our odds with resilience

Ever wonder why the need for 2 Samuel 10 when the outcome of the battle had already been described for us in 2 Samuel 8:3-8? In these six verses of 2 Samuel 8, we saw the victory David and his men had over Moab, the Philistines, and over the Ammonites and the Arameans. Four reasons for why the battles with the Ammonites and Arameans were given in detail in 2 Samuel 10. Firstly, to tell us how the conflict with the Ammonites was triggered. Secondly, it serves to tell us how the Arameans became involved. Thirdly, to tell us that Israel faced a formidable combined force of the Ammonites and the Arameans and resiliently overcame them. Fourthly, this battle serves as the backdrop to the biggest sin that David would soon commit.

In the first five verses of 2 Samuel 10, we saw how the battle with the Ammonites was triggered. Hanun, at the instigation of his advisors, humiliated the men David sent to console him on the demise of his father. He violated the kind gestures of David by having half of the beards of each of  David’s representatives shaved off and their garments cut from the hip downward. David, when he learned of what Hanun had done, instructed his humiliated representatives to stay at Jericho till their beards had grown back before returning to Jerusalem. No leader who had been spurned in such a way could stay calm, much less David. He could not allow the matter to rest.  

Realizing that what he had done was loathsome to David, and would certainly lead to war, Hanun hired 33,000 mercenaries from the Arameans. He had hoped that with the help of the Arameans they would be able to deal with the impending retaliation of David. Meanwhile, David would not back down. He despatched Joab and his mighty men to attack the Ammonite city. The Ammonites, however, stationed themselves at the entrance into the city leaving the mercenaries they had hired strategically deployed in the field but hidden away. Their plan was for the hired mercenaries to attack David’s men from the rear when they advanced toward the city.

Recognizing that he had walked into a trap, Joab was forced to divide his men into two fighting forces. He took with him some of the more able men to fight the tougher Arameans, leaving his brother Abishai with the remainder of the men to fight the less able Ammonites. Courageously, he encouraged his people to fight, saying “Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight.” Joab and those men with him fought fearlessly, forcing the Arameans to break rank and flee from the battle. When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they also withdrew from Abishai and his men and retreated into the city. It was at this point that Joab called off the fight and returned to Jerusalem.   

Resilience is a quality much needed in facing the trying circumstances of life. In this account, we saw how Joab and his men walked into a trap they did not expect. In a quick and decisive moment, Joab came up with a plan. He divided his men into two groups of fighting men and led one group to fight the tougher Arameans. He left Abishai his brother to lead the other group to fight the less able Ammonites. Joab urged them to abandon themselves to the plan of God and to courageously fight for their own sake and for the sake of the people of God. And with resilience, they overcame the odds.  Resilience is one quality we must build because life often presents us with unexpected challenges. When we build resilience, we can resolutely deal with each one without crumbling. Jesus reminds us that nothing is impossible for those who dare to believe. So be resilient!