[1] It happened after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon
died, and his son reigned in his place. [2] David said, I will show
kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to
me. So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. David`s
servants came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort
him. [3] But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Think you
that David does honor your father, in that he has sent comforters to you?
Aren`t his servants come to you to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out
the land? [4] So Hanun took David`s servants, and shaved them, and cut off
their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
[5] Then there went certain persons, and told David how the men were
served. He sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king
said, Stay at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return. [6] When
the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David,
Hanun and the children of Ammon sent one thousand talents of silver to hire
them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Arammaacah, and
out of Zobah. [7] So they hired them thirty-two thousand chariots, and the
king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. The
children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came
to battle. [8] When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of
the mighty men. [9] The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in
array at the gate of the city: and the kings who had come were by
themselves in the field. [10] Now when Joab saw that the battle was set
against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel,
and put them in array against the Syrians. [11] The rest of the people he
committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in
array against the children of Ammon. [12] He said, If the Syrians be too
strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon be too
strong for you, then I will help you. [13] Be of good courage, and let us
play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Yahweh do
that which seems him good. [14] So Joab and the people who were with him
drew near before the Syrians to the battle; and they fled before him. [15]
When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise
fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came
to Jerusalem. [16] When the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse
before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians who were
beyond the River, with Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at
their head. [17] It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together,
and passed over the Jordan, and came on them, and set the battle in array
against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the
Syrians, they fought with him. [18] The Syrians fled before Israel; and
David killed of the Syrians [the men of] seven thousand chariots, and forty
thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host. [19] When
the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before
Israel, they made peace with David, and served him: neither would the
Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.
