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.

⁴ so the king^(A) of Assyria will lead away stripped^(B) and barefoot the Egyptian captives^(C) and Cushite^(D) exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared^(E)—to Egypt’s shame.^(F)

⁵ eighty men who had shaved off their beards,^(A) torn their clothes^(B) and cut^(C) themselves came from Shechem,^(D) Shiloh^(E) and Samaria,^(F) bringing grain offerings and incense^(G) with them to the house of the Lord.^(H)

³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven’t his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out^(A) the country and overthrow it?” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved them, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.

²⁷ “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.^(A)