Nahash was king of the Ammonites. According to 2 Samuel 10:2, he had a friendly relationship with David.1 The Ammonites lived to the east of Israel’s Transjordan territories and they were descendants of Lot’s son Ben-ammi (Genesis 19:36–38).2 The Israelites were meant to respect their territory (Deuteronomy 2:19).3 In the time of the judges, however, the Ammonites encroached upon Israel’s territory and they were famously defeated in battle by Jephthah (see Judges 3:13; Judges 10:6–9; Judges 11:4).4
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead, and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.”