1 Chronicles 19

1 After this, Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place.

And it came to pass after this, [that] Naas the king of the children of Ammon died, and Anan his son reigned in his stead.

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.

And David said, I will act kindly towards Anan the son of Naas, as his father acted kindly towards me. And David sent messengers to condole with him on the death of his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Anan, to comfort him.

3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, “Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you to search, to overthrow, and to spy out the land?”

And the chiefs of the children of Ammon said to Anan, Is it to honour your father before you, that David has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you that they might search the city, and to spy out the land?

4 So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle at their buttocks, and sent them away.

And Anan took the servants of David, and shaved them, and cut off the half of their garments as far as their tunic, and sent them away.

5 Then some people went and told David how the men were treated. He sent to meet them; for the men were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”

And there came men to report to David concerning the men: and he sent to meet them, for they were greatly disgraced: and the king said, Dwell in Jericho until your beards have grown, and 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 chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, out of Aram-maacah, and out of Zobah.

And the children of Ammon saw that the people of David were ashamed, and Anan and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen out of Syria of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria Maacha, and from Sobal.

7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah with his people, who came and encamped near Medeba. The children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.

And they hired for themselves two and thirty thousand chariots, and the king of Maacha and his people; and they came and encamped before Medaba: and the children of Ammon assembled out of their cities, and came to fight.

8 When David heard of it, he sent Joab with all the army of the mighty men.

And David heard, and sent Joab and all the host of 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.

And the children of Ammon came forth, and set themselves in array for battle by the gate of the city: and the kings that were come forth encamped by themselves in the plain.

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

And Joab saw that they were fronting [him] to fight against him before and behind, and he chose [some] out of all the young men of Israel, and they set themselves in array against the Syrian.

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.

And the rest of the people he gave into the hand of his brother Abesai, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

12 He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you are to help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.

And he said, If the Syrian should prevail against me, then shall you deliver me: and if the children of Ammon should prevail against you, then will I deliver you.

13 Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do that which seems good to him.”

Be of good courage, and let us be strong, for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord shall do what [is] good in his eyes.

14 So Joab and the people who were with him came near to the front of the Syrians to the battle; and they fled before him.

So Joab and the people that were with him set themselves in battle array against the Syrians, and they fled from them.

15 When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

And the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, and they also fled from before Abesai, and from before Joab his brother, and they came to the city: and Joab came to Jerusalem.

16 When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and called out the Syrians who were beyond the River, with Shophach the captain of the army of Hadadezer leading them.

And the Syrian saw that Israel had defeated him, and he sent messengers, and they brought out the Syrians from beyond the river; and Sophath the commander-in-chief of the forces of Adraazar [was] before them.

17 David was told that, so he gathered all Israel together, passed over the Jordan, came to 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.

And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and crossed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So David set [his army] in array to fight against the Syrians, and they fought against him.

18 The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrian men seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand footmen, and also killed Shophach the captain of the army.

And the Syrians fled from before Israel; and David killed of the Syrians seven thousand [riders in] chariots, and forty thousand infantry, and he killed Sophath the commander-in-chief of the forces.

19 When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. The Syrians would not help the children of Ammon any more.

And the servants of Adraazar saw that they were defeated before Israel, and they made peace with David and served him: and the Syrians would not any more help the children of Ammon.