2 Samuel 10:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him."

NIV: Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight."

NASB: Be strong, and let’s show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight.'

CSB: Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done."

NLT: Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.'

KJV: Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good.

NKJV: Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”

In 2 Samuel 10:9–14, the king of Ammon realizes his mistake. When Hanun thought David was spying on him to prepare for an invasion, he humiliated David's messengers, leaving David no choice but to send in Joab and the Israelite army (1 Chronicles 19:1–5). Hanun hires four Syrian armies (1 Chronicles 19:6–9), but the Israelites send the Syrians fleeing and the Ammonites into hiding. The Syrians call their countrymen for reinforcements and lose horribly when David arrives (2 Samuel 10:15–19). First Chronicles 10:10–15 tells the same story.

In 2 Samuel 10, David sends a delegation. Their mission is to offer condolences to the new king of Ammon following the death of his father. Suspecting a trick, the king humiliates David's messengers. The Ammonites hire four Syrian armies and wait for Israel's attack. Joab leads Israel in a defeat of the Syrians and a retreat of the Ammonites. The Syrians, however, regroup under the leadership of Hadadezer, who calls all Syrian kings to join a massive army to fight Israel. David defeats that army, making the Syrians subject to him. First Chronicles 19 also records the battle.

Second Samuel chapter 10 gives context to 2 Samuel 8:7. The Ammonite king dies, and David sends messengers with condolences. The new king fears they are spies and disgraces them. The Ammonites call on Syrians for support and start a battle which Joab wins. The Ammonites hide in their city, and David beats the Syrians into submission. David proves that the Israelites are a fearsome power. The next spring, David will send Joab to destroy the Ammonites. While the army is away, David sins against Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Samuel 11). The battles are also found in 1 Chronicles 19.

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.

Accessed 2/8/2026 12:12:13 AM