Wherefore Hanon took the servants of David, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut away half of their garments even to the buttocks, and sent them away.
וַיִּקַּ֨ח חָנ֜וּן אֶת־עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֗ד וַיְגַלַּח֙ אֶת־חֲצִ֣י זְקָנָ֔ם וַיִּכְרֹ֧ת אֶת־מַדְוֵיהֶ֛ם בַּחֵ֖צִי עַ֣ד שְׁתֽוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵֽם׃
One Church Father comments on this verse
He, in light of such honor, scornfully mocked the envoys and returned them to the king. Do you not think it sufficient to cause sorrow and distress to the spirit? Does not the conflict itself demonstrate this, lacking any other justification, and becoming so fierce that it led David to face countless misfortunes?
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS