2 Samuel 10

1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

2 And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon.

3 But the rulers of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Think thou that David honors thy father, in that he has sent comforters to thee? Has not David sent his servants to thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

4 So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

5 When they told it to David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

6 And when the sons of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.

7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.

8 And the sons of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. And the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

9 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind, he chose from all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

10 And the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother. And he put them in array against the sons of Ammon.

11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.

12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God. And Jehovah do that which seems good to him.

13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians. And they fled before him.

14 And when the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the sons of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

15 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadarezer at their head.

17 And it was told David. And he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

18 And the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their army so that he died there.

19 And when all the kings who were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the sons of Ammon any more.