(3) And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it? (4) Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
Alas! do we not see, in this vile reception of the servants of David, a representation of the faithful servants of the Son of David, in the preaching of his word in all ages? What Paul said of himself and his companions, may, more or less, be said of all that preach the pure gospel of Jesus; we are made a spectacle unto the world; being defamed, and as the filth and the offscouring of all things. 1 Corinthians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 4:13.