19:1 The land of Ammon bordered Israel to the east. The nation had a sordid beginning: Its founding ancestor, Ben-ammi, was conceived through incest between Lot and his daughter (Genesis 19:30-38). The Ammonites, who were constant enemies of Israel, reached their greatest strength in the days of the judges. David was the first military leader of Israel to crush them. They were unable to cause further trouble for many years.
19:2, 3 Hanun misread David’s intentions. He was overly suspicious and brought disaster upon himself. Because of past experiences, it is easy to be overly suspicious of others, questioning every move and second-guessing their motives. While we should be cautious and wise as we deal with others, we should not assume their every action is ill-intended.
19:4, 5 Israelite men always wore beards. To be forcibly shaven was embarrassing enough, but these men were also left half naked. Hanun’s actions humiliated these men and insulted Israel.
19:6 Rather than admit his mistake and seek forgiveness and reconciliation, Hanun spent an enormous amount of money to cover up his error. His cover-up cost him dearly (20:1-3). It often costs more to cover up an error than to admit it honestly. Rather than compound an error through defensiveness, seek forgiveness and reconciliation as soon as you realize your mistake. You will save yourself and others a lot of pain and trouble.