Kings II 10

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

And it comes to pass afterward, that the king of the sons of Ammon dies, and his son Hanun reigns in his stead,

2 And David said, I will shew mercy to Annon the son of Naas, as his father dealt mercifully with me. And David sent to comfort him concerning his father by the hand of his servants; and the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon.

and David says, “I do kindness with Hanun son of Nahash, as his father did kindness with me”; and David sends to comfort him by the hand of his servants concerning his father, and the servants of David come into the land of the sons of Ammon.

3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Annon their lord, [Is it] to honour thy father before thee that David has sent comforters to thee? Has not David rather sent his servants to thee that they should search the city, and spy it out and examine it?

And the heads of the sons of Ammon say to their lord Hanun, “Is David honoring your father in your eyes because he has sent comforters to you? For has David not sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it, and to overthrow it?”

4 And Annon took the servants of David, and shaved their beards, and cut off their garments in the midst as far as their haunches, and sent them away.

And Hanun takes the servants of David, and shaves off the half of their beard, and cuts off their long robes in the midst—to their buttocks, and sends them away;

5 And they brought David word concerning the men; and he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly dishonoured: and the king said, Remain in Jericho till your beards have grown, and [then] ye shall return.

and they declare [it] to David, and he sends to meet them, for the men have been greatly ashamed, and the king says, “Abide in Jericho until your beard springs up—then you have returned.”

6 And the children of Ammon saw that the people of David were ashamed; and the children of Ammon sent, and hired the Syrians of Baethraam, and the Syrians of Suba, and Roob, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Amalec with a thousand men, and Istob with twelve thousand men.

And the sons of Ammon see that they have been abhorred by David, and the sons of Ammon send and hire Aram of Beth-Rehob, and Aram of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah [with] one thousand men, and Ish-Tob [with] twelve thousand men;

7 And David heard, and sent Joab and all his host, [even] the mighty men.

and David hears, and sends Joab, and all the host—the mighty men.

8 And the children of Ammon went forth, and set the battle in array by the door of the gate: [those] of Syria, Suba, and Roob, and Istob, and Amalec, being by themselves in the field.

And the sons of Ammon come out, and set in array [for] battle, at the opening of the gate, and Aram of Zoba, and Rehob, and Ish-Tob, and Maacah, [are] by themselves in the field;

9 And Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him from that which was opposed in front and from behind, and he chose out [some] of all the young men of Israel, and they set themselves in array against Syria.

and Joab sees that the front of the battle has been to him before and behind, and he chooses [out] of all the chosen in Israel, and sets in array to meet Aram,

10 And the rest of the people he gave into the hand of Abessa his brother, and they set the battle in array opposite to the children of Ammon.

and he has given the rest of the people into the hand of his brother Abishai, and sets in array to meet the sons of Ammon.

11 And he said, If Syria be too strong for me, then shall ye help me: and if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then will we be ready to help thee.

And he says, “If Aram is stronger than I, then you have been for salvation to me, and if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you, then I have come to give salvation to you;

12 Be thou courageous, and let us be strong for our people, and for the sake of the cities of our God, and the Lord shall do that which is good in his eyes.

be strong and strengthen yourself for our people, and for the cities of our God, and YHWH does that which is good in His eyes.”

13 And Joab and his people with him advanced to battle against Syria, and they fled from before him.

And Joab draws near, and the people who [are] with him, to battle against Aram, and they flee from his presence;

14 And the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, and they fled from before Abessa, and entered into the city: and Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

and the sons of Ammon have seen that Aram has fled, and they flee from the presence of Abishai, and go into the city; and Joab turns back from the sons of Ammon, and comes to Jerusalem.

15 And the Syrians saw that they were worsted before Israel, and they gathered themselves together.

And Aram sees that it is struck before Israel, and they are gathered together;

16 And Adraazar sent and gathered the Syrians from the other side of the river Chalamak, and they came to Aelam; and Sobac the captain of the host of Adraazar [was] at their head.

and Hadadezer sends, and brings out Aram which [is] beyond the River, and they come to Helam, and Shobach, head of the host of Hadadezer, [is] before them.

17 And it was reported to David, and he gathered all Israel, and went over Jordan, and came to Aelam: and the Syrians set the battle in array against David, and fought with him.

And it is declared to David, and he gathers all Israel, and passes over the Jordan, and comes to Helam, and Aram sets itself in array to meet David, and they fight with him;

18 And Syria fled from before Israel, and David destroyed of Syria seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and he smote Sobac the captain of his host, and he died there.

and Aram flees from the presence of Israel, and David slays seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand horsemen of Aram, and he has struck Shobach, [the] head of its host, and he dies there.

19 And all the kings the servants of Adraazar saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, and they went over to Israel, and served them: and Syria was afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.

And all the kings—servants of Hadadezer—see that they have been struck before Israel, and make peace with Israel, and serve them; and Aram is afraid to help the sons of Ammon anymore.