2 Samuel 10

1 Now after these things, it happened that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and his son Hanun reigned after him.

It came about later that the king of the people of Ammon died, and that Hanun his son became king in his place.

2 And David said, “I will show mercy to Hanun, the son of Nahash, just as his father showed mercy to me.” Therefore, David sent consolation to him, by his servants, over the passing of his father. But when the servants of David had arrived in the land of the sons of Ammon,

David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent his servants to comfort Hanun concerning his father. His servants entered the land of the people of Ammon.

3 the leaders of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, their lord: “Do you think it was because of the honor of your father that David sent consolers to you? And did not David send his servants to you, so that he might investigate and explore the city, and so that he might overthrow it?”

But the leaders of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their master, “Do you really think that David is honoring your father because he has sent men to comfort you? Has not David sent his servants to you to look at the city, to spy it out, in order to overthrow it?”

4 And so, Hanun took the servants of David, and he shaved off one half part of their beards, and he cut their garments at the middle, as far as the buttocks, and he sent them away.

So Hanun took David's servants, shaved off half their beards, cut off their garments up to their buttocks, and sent them away.

5 And when this had been reported to David, he sent to meet them. And the men were greatly disturbed by shame. And David commanded them, “Remain in Jericho, until your beards grow, and then return.”

When they explained this to David, he sent to meet with them, for the men were deeply ashamed. The king said, “Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”

6 Now the sons of Ammon, seeing that they had done an injury to David, sent for, and paid wages to, the Syrians of Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and from the king of Maacah, one thousand men, and from Tob, twelve thousand men.

When the people of Ammon saw that they had become a stench to David, the people of Ammon sent messengers and hired the Arameans of Beth Rehob and Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob with twelve thousand men.

7 And when David had heard this, he sent Joab and the entire army of warriors.

When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of soldiers.

8 Then the sons of Ammon went forth, and they positioned their battle line before the very entrance of the gates. But the Syrians of Zobah, and of Rehob, and of Tob, and of Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

The Ammonites came out and formed a line of battle at the entrance to their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, stood by themselves in the open fields.

9 And so, seeing that the battle had been prepared against him, both facing him and behind, Joab chose some from all of the elect men of Israel, and he set up a battle line opposite the Syrians.

When Joab saw the battle lines facing him both in front and behind, he chose some of Israel's best fighters and arranged them against the Arameans.

10 But the remaining part of the people he delivered to his brother Abishai, who formed a battle line against the sons of Ammon.

The rest of his people he put into the hand of Abishai his brother, and he set them out in position to fight against the army of Ammon.

11 And Joab said: “If the Syrians prevail against me, then you shall assist me. But if the sons of Ammon prevail against you, then I will assist you.

Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you, Abishai, must rescue me. But if the army of Ammon is too strong for you, then I will come and rescue you.

12 Be valiant men. And let us fight on behalf of our people and the city of our God. Then the Lord will do what is good in his own sight.”

Be strong, and let us show ourselves to be strong for our people and for the cities of our God, for Yahweh will do what is good for his purpose.”

13 And so, Joab, and the people who were with him, undertook the conflict against the Syrians, who immediately fled before their face.

So Joab and the soldiers of his army advanced to the battle against the Arameans, who were forced to flee before the army of Israel.

14 Then, seeing that the Syrians had fled, the sons of Ammon themselves also fled from the face of Abishai, and they entered into the city. And Joab returned from the sons of Ammon, and he went to Jerusalem.

When the army of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from Abishai and went back into the city. Then Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went back to Jerusalem.

15 And so, the Syrians, seeing that they had fallen before Israel, gathered themselves together.

When the Arameans saw that they were being defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together again.

16 And Hadadezer sent and brought the Syrians who were beyond the river, and he led in their army. And Shobach, the ruler of the military of Hadadezer, was their leader.

Then Hadarezer sent for Aramean troops from beyond the Euphrates River. They came to Helam, and Shobak, the commander of Hadarezer's army, went before them.

17 And when this had been reported to David, he drew together all of Israel. And he crossed over the Jordan, and he went to Helam. And the Syrians formed a battle line opposite David, and they fought against him.

When David was told this, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan, and arrived at Helam. The Arameans arranged themselves in battle lines against David and fought him.

18 And the Syrians fled before the face of Israel. And David killed, among the Syrians, the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen. And he struck down Shobach, the leader of the military, who immediately died.

The Arameans fled from Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their men in chariots and forty thousand horsemen. Shobak the commander of their army was wounded and died there.

19 Then all the kings who were in the reinforcements of Hadadezer, seeing themselves to be defeated by Israel, were very afraid and they fled: fifty-eight thousand men before Israel. And they made peace with Israel, and they served them. And the Syrians were afraid to offer assistance to the sons of Ammon anymore.

When all the kings who were servants of Hadarezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. So the Arameans were afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore.