19:1 In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him as king.
19:2 David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David’s men came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him,
19:3 the Ammonite nobles said to Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Haven’t his men come to you to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?”
19:4 So Hanun seized David’s men, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away.
19:5 When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”
19:6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David’s nostrils, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah and Zobah.
19:7 They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle.
19:8 On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men.
19:9 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.
19:10 Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans.
19:11 He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites.
19:12 Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you.
19:13 Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight.”
19:14 Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him.
19:15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.
19:16 After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the River, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.
19:17 When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him.
19:18 But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach the commander of their army.
19:19 When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.
19:1 And after this Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place.
19:2 And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun to comfort him.
19:3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Do you really think that David is honoring your father just because he sent to you some men to comfort you? Have not his servants come to you in order to search out and to overthrow and to spy on the land?
19:4 So Hanun took David s servants and shaved them and cut away half their garments at the hips, and he sent them away.
19:5 Now when they went and told David about the men, he sent some to meet them, for the men were very ashamed. And the king said, Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, then return.
19:6 And 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 for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia and from the Syrians of Maacah and from Zobah.
19:7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and camped before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered together from their cities and came to the battle.
19:8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of mighty men.
19:9 And the children of Ammon went forth and set the battle in array at the entrance of the city, but the kings who had come were alone in the field.
19:10 Now when Joab saw that there were battle lines against him before and behind, he chose some of the choice men in Israel and set them in array against the Syrians.
19:11 And the rest of the people he put under the charge of Abishai his brother, and they arrayed themselves against the children of Ammon.
19:12 And he said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; and if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.
19:13 Be strong and let us be bold for the sake of our people and for the sake of the cities of our God, and may Jehovah do what seems good in His sight.
19:14 So Joab and the people who were with him approached the battle against the Syrians, and the Syrians fled before him.
19:15 And the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, and they also fled from before Abishai his brother and entered the city. And Joab entered Jerusalem.
19:16 Now when the Syrians saw that they had been routed before Israel, they sent messengers and brought forth the Syrians who were beyond the River with Shophach the captain of the army of Hadadezer before them.
19:17 And it was told David, and he gathered all Israel together and passed over the Jordan and came to them and set his men in array against them. When David set his men in array to meet the Syrians in battle, they fought with him.
19:18 And the Syrians fled before Israel. And David slew seven thousand charioteers of the Syrians and forty thousand footmen, and he put Shophach the captain of the army to death.
19:19 And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed before Israel, they made peace with David and served him. So the Syrians were not willing to help the children of Ammon anymore.