In our culture facial hair is not always permitted, and shaving may be rewarded. In David's day, to shave a beard was the opposite. It was a sign of humiliation. As was cutting the garments at the buttocks. In these acts of humiliation, we can only imagine how this fueled David and his mighty armies. Here is the passage...
"So Hanun seized David's men, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away. When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, "Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back."
What was Hanun thinking when he humiliated David's men? David's order to grow the beards back before attack is also a sign of his patience to return to battle with signs of humiliation gone.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment