Limitless Word
And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
2 Samuel 10:1 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB After this, the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.
  • BSB Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun.
  • NKJV It happened after this that the king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.
  • NASB Now it happened afterward that the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place.
  • NLT Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The Ammonite king Nahash dies and his son Hanun succeeds him. This sets the stage for a diplomatic gesture that will go badly wrong.

Overview

The narrative shifts from David's domestic kindness to international relations. Nahash had apparently shown David some past favor, so his death prompts David to respond. The new and untested king Hanun introduces the tension that drives the chapter.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 4

  • 1 Sam 11:1–3Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.
  • Judg 10:7–9And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.
  • 1 Chr 19:1–19Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.
  • Judg 11:12–28And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 Samuel 10:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.

How 2 Samuel 10:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.