1
Now it came to pass after this[H310], that Nahash[H5176] the king[H4428] of the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983]died[H4191], and his son[H1121]reigned[H4427] in his stead.
2
And David[H1732]said[H559], I will shew[H6213]kindness[H2617] unto Hanun[H2586] the son[H1121] of Nahash[H5176], because his father[H1]shewed[H6213]kindness[H2617] to me. And David[H1732]sent[H7971]messengers[H4397] to comfort[H5162] him concerning his father[H1]. So the servants[H5650] of David[H1732]came[H935] into the land[H776] of the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983] to Hanun[H2586], to comfort[H5162] him.
3
But the princes[H8269] of the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983]said[H559] to Hanun[H2586], Thinkest[H5869] thou that David[H1732] doth honour[H3513] thy father[H1], that he hath sent[H7971]comforters[H5162] unto thee? are not his servants[H5650]come[H935] unto thee for to search[H2713], and to overthrow[H2015], and to spy out[H7270] the land?[H776]
4
Wherefore Hanun[H2586]took[H3947] David's servants[H5650], and shaved[H1548] them, and cut off[H3772] their garments[H4063] in the midst[H2677] hard by their buttocks[H4667], and sent them away[H7971].
5
Then there went[H3212] certain, and told[H5046]David[H1732] how the men[H582] were served. And he sent[H7971] to meet[H7125] them: for the men[H582] were greatly[H3966]ashamed[H3637]. And the king[H4428]said[H559], Tarry[H3427] at Jericho[H3405] until your beards[H2206] be grown[H6779], and then return[H7725].
6
And when the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983]saw[H7200] that they had made themselves odious[H887] to David[H1732], Hanun[H2586] and the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983]sent[H7971] a thousand[H505]talents[H3603] of silver[H3701] to hire[H7936] them chariots[H7393] and horsemen[H6571] out of Mesopotamia[H763], and out of Syriamaachah[H758], and out of Zobah[H6678].
7
So they hired[H7936]thirty[H7970] and two[H8147]thousand[H505]chariots[H7393], and the king[H4428] of Maachah[H4601] and his people[H5971]; who came[H935] and pitched[H2583]before[H6440]Medeba[H4311]. And the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983] gathered themselves together[H622] from their cities[H5892], and came[H935] to battle[H4421].
8
And when David[H1732]heard[H8085] of it, he sent[H7971]Joab[H3097], and all the host[H6635] of the mighty men[H1368].
9
And the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983] came out[H3318], and put the battle[H4421] in array[H6186] before the gate[H6607] of the city[H5892]: and the kings[H4428] that were come[H935] were by themselves in the field[H7704].
10
Now when Joab[H3097]saw[H7200] that the battle[H4421] was set against[H7125] him before[H6440] and behind[H268], he chose out[H977] of all the choice[H977] of Israel[H3478], and put them in array[H6186]against[H7125] the Syrians[H758].
11
And the rest[H3499] of the people[H5971] he delivered[H5414] unto the hand[H3027] of Abishai[H52] his brother[H251], and they set themselves in array[H6186]against[H7125] the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983].
12
And he said[H559], If the Syrians[H758] be too strong[H2388] for me, then thou shalt help[H8668] me: but if the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983] be too strong[H2388] for thee, then I will help[H3467] thee.
13
Be of good[H2896]courage[H2388], and let us behave ourselves valiantly[H2388] for our people[H5971], and for the cities[H5892] of our God[H430]: and let the LORD[H3068]do[H6213] that which is good[H2896] in his sight[H5869].
14
So Joab[H3097] and the people[H5971] that were with him drew nigh[H5066]before[H6440] the Syrians[H758] unto the battle[H4421]; and they fled[H5127]before[H6440] him.
15
And when the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983]saw[H7200] that the Syrians[H758] were fled[H5127], they likewise fled[H5127]before[H6440]Abishai[H52] his brother[H251], and entered[H935] into the city[H5892]. Then Joab[H3097]came[H935] to Jerusalem[H3389].
16
And when the Syrians[H758]saw[H7200] that they were put to the worse[H5062]before[H6440]Israel[H3478], they sent[H7971]messengers[H4397], and drew forth[H3318] the Syrians[H758] that were beyond[H5676] the river[H5104]: and Shophach[H7780] the captain[H8269] of the host[H6635] of Hadarezer[H1928] went before[H6440] them.
17
And it was told[H5046]David[H1732]; and he gathered[H622] all Israel[H3478], and passed over[H5674]Jordan[H3383], and came[H935] upon them, and set the battle[H4421] in array[H6186]against[H7125] them. So when David[H1732] had put the battle[H4421] in array[H6186]against[H7125] the Syrians[H758], they fought[H3898] with him.
18
But the Syrians[H758]fled[H5127]before[H6440]Israel[H3478]; and David[H1732]slew[H2026] of the Syrians[H758]seven[H7651]thousand[H505] men which fought in chariots[H7393], and forty[H705]thousand[H505]footmen[H376], and killed[H4191]Shophach[H7780] the captain[H8269] of the host[H6635].
19
And when the servants[H5650] of Hadarezer[H1928]saw[H7200] that they were put to the worse[H5062]before[H6440]Israel[H3478], they made peace[H7999] with David[H1732], and became his servants[H5647]: neither would[H14] the Syrians[H758]help[H3467] the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983] any more.