⁴ So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard,^(A) cut off their garments at the buttocks,^(B) and sent them away.

⁵ When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

⁶ When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious^(C) to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean^(D) foot soldiers from Beth Rehob^(E) and Zobah,^(F) as well as the king of Maakah^(G) with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.^(H)

God’s Razor of Judgment

5 “Now, son of man, take a sharp sword and use it as a barber’s razor^(A) to shave^(B) your head and your beard.^(C) Then take a set of scales and divide up the hair.