Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

Then a vast alliance of surrounding nations formed against
David. Out of this came the greatest wars and greatest victories of
his reign and the biggest increases of his power. He had done
nothing to provoke this hostile alliance. Here are the circumstances
that led to the formation of this alliance:
News had come to Jerusalem about the death of Nahash, king
of the Ammonites, who had shown kindness to David when he was
a fleeing from Saul. Wanting to express his appreciation of the favor
shown him in his distress, David sent a message of sympathy to
Hanun, son of the Ammonite king.
Hanun's counselors misinterpreted David's message. They "said
to Hanun their lord, 'Do you think that David really honors your
father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather
sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to
overthrow it?'" They could not comprehend the generous spirit that
inspired David's message. Believing that his counselors were right,
Hanun regarded David's messengers as spies and loaded them with
scorn and insult.
God permitted the Ammonites to carry out the evil purposes of
their hearts so that their real character might be clear to David. It
was not His will that Israel enter into an alliance with this heathen
people.
Knowing that David would certainly punish them for this insult
to Israel, the Ammonites prepared for war. Those living in the
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