2 Samuel 10 · a question people ask
Did David go to war over the insult?
Read the order of the verses. After the insult, David sends to meet his men and tells them to wait at Jericho (10:5). The chapter records no word from David against Hanun. The next move is Ammon's: "When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah" (10:6), with men from Maacah and Tob (10:6) (tap odious and hired). Then "When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men" (10:7). The chapter doesn't say what David would have done if Ammon had not hired an army, and it doesn't give his reasons beyond that order. The war with Ammon goes on after this chapter: "At the return of the year" David sent Joab and all Israel, "and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah" (11:1).
The verses
“When they told David this, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.” When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men. When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.”
“At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.”