1
And it came to pass after this[H310], that the king[H4428] of the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983]died[H4191], and Hanun[H2586] his son[H1121]reigned[H4427] in his stead.
2
Then said[H559]David[H1732], I will shew[H6213]kindness[H2617] unto Hanun[H2586] the son[H1121] of Nahash[H5176], as his father[H1]shewed[H6213]kindness[H2617] unto me. And David[H1732]sent[H7971] to comfort[H5162] him by the hand[H3027] of his servants[H5650] for his father[H1]. And David[H1732]'s servants[H5650]came[H935] into the land[H776] of the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983].
3
And the princes[H8269] of the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983]said[H559] unto Hanun[H2586] their lord[H113], Thinkest[H5869] thou that David[H1732] doth honour[H3513] thy father[H1], that he hath sent[H7971]comforters[H5162] unto thee? hath not David[H1732] rather sent[H7971] his servants[H5650] unto thee, to[H5668]search[H2713] the city[H5892], and to[H5668] spy it out[H7270], and to[H5668]overthrow[H2015] it?
4
Wherefore Hanun[H2586]took[H3947] David's servants[H5650], and shaved off[H1548] the one half[H2677] of their beards[H2206], and cut off[H3772] their garments[H4063] in the middle[H2677], even to their buttocks[H8357], and sent them away[H7971].
5
When they told[H5046] it unto David[H1732], he sent[H7971] to meet[H7125] them, because 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 stank[H887] before David[H1732], the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983]sent[H7971] and hired[H7936] the Syrians[H758] of Bethrehob[H1050], and the Syrians[H758] of Zoba[H6678], twenty[H6242]thousand[H505]footmen[H7273], and of king[H4428]Maacah[H4601] a thousand[H505]men[H376], and of Ishtob[H382]twelve[H6240]thousand[H505]men[H376].
7
And when David[H1732]heard[H8085] of it, he sent[H7971]Joab[H3097], and all the host[H6635] of the mighty men[H1368].
8
And the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983] came out[H3318], and put the battle[H4421]in[H6607]array[H6186] at the entering in[H6607] of the gate[H8179]: and the Syrians[H758] of Zoba[H6678], and of Rehob[H7340], and Ishtob[H382], and Maacah[H4601], were by themselves[H905]in[H6607] the field[H7704].
9
When Joab[H3097]saw[H7200] that the front[H6440] of the battle[H4421] was against[H7125] him before[H6440] and behind[H268], he chose[H977] of all the choice[H977] men of Israel[H3478], and put them in array[H6186]against[H7125] the Syrians[H758]:
10
And the rest[H3499] of the people[H5971] he delivered[H5414] into the hand[H3027] of Abishai[H52] his brother[H251], that he might put them in array[H6186]against[H7125] the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983].
11
And he said[H559], If the Syrians[H758] be too strong[H2388] for me, then thou shalt help[H3444] me: but if the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983] be too strong[H2388] for thee, then I will come[H1980] and help[H3467] thee.
12
Be of good[H2896]courage[H2388], and let us play the men[H2388] for our people[H5971], and for the cities[H5892] of our God[H430]: and the LORD[H3068]do[H6213] that which seemeth[H5869] him good[H2896].
13
And Joab[H3097] drew nigh[H5066], and the people[H5971] that were with him, unto the battle[H4421] against the Syrians[H758]: and they fled[H5127]before[H6440] him.
14
And when the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983]saw[H7200] that the Syrians[H758] were fled[H5127], then fled[H5127] they also before[H6440]Abishai[H52], and entered[H935] into the city[H5892]. So Joab[H3097]returned[H7725] from the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983], and came[H935] to Jerusalem[H3389].
15
And when the Syrians[H758]saw[H7200] that they were smitten[H5062]before[H6440]Israel[H3478], they gathered[H622] themselves together[H3162].
16
And Hadarezer[H1928]sent[H7971], and brought out[H3318] the Syrians[H758] that were beyond[H5676] the river[H5104]: and they came[H935] to Helam[H2431]; and Shobach[H7731] the captain[H8269] of the host[H6635] of Hadarezer[H1928] went before[H6440] them.
17
And when it was told[H5046]David[H1732], he gathered[H622] all Israel[H3478]together[H622], and passed over[H5674]Jordan[H3383], and came[H935] to Helam[H2431]. And the Syrians[H758] set themselves in array[H6186]against[H7125]David[H1732], and fought[H3898] with him.
18
And the Syrians[H758]fled[H5127]before[H6440]Israel[H3478]; and David[H1732]slew[H2026] the men of seven[H7651]hundred[H3967]chariots[H7393] of the Syrians[H758], and forty[H705]thousand[H505]horsemen[H6571], and smote[H5221]Shobach[H7731] the captain[H8269] of their host[H6635], who died[H4191] there.
19
And when all the kings[H4428] that were servants[H5650] to Hadarezer[H1928]saw[H7200] that they were smitten[H5062]before[H6440]Israel[H3478], they made peace[H7999] with Israel[H3478], and served[H5647] them. So the Syrians[H758]feared[H3372] to help[H3467] the children[H1121] of Ammon[H5983] any more.