1 Chronicles 19

1 Some time later, Nahash, king of the Ammonites, died and his son succeeded him.

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 be kind to Hanun, son of Nahash, for his father was kind to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him over his father's death. David's ambassadors arrived in the land of the Ammonites and went comfort Hanun.

And David said, I will act kindly toward 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 Ammonite princes said to Hanun, “Do you really think that David is honoring your father by sending comforters to you? Haven't these ‘comforters’ only come to spy out the land to find ways to conquer it?”

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

4 So Hanun detained David's ambassadors and had them shaved, and their robes cut off at the buttocks. Then he sent them back.

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 A message was sent to David to explain what had happened to the men. David then sent messengers to the men to tell them, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then you can come back.”

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 Then the Ammonites realized that they had really been offensive to David So Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and 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 They also hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah with his army. They came set up camp near Medeba. The Ammonites were also called up from their towns and prepared for 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 learned of this, he sent Joab and the entire army to confront them.

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

9 The Ammonites set up their battle lines near the town entrance, while the other kings who had joined them took up positions in the open fields.

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 Joab realized he would have to fight both in front of him and behind him, he chose some of Israel's best troops and he took charge of them to lead the attack the Arameans.

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 He put the rest of the army under the command of Abishai, his brother. They were to attack the Ammonites.

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 Joab told him, “If the Arameans are stronger than me, you come and help me. If the Ammonites are stronger than you, I'll come and help you.

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

13 Be brave, and fight your best for our people and the towns of our God. May the Lord do what he sees as good!”

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 Joab attacked the Arameans with his forces and they ran away from 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 Ammonites saw that the Arameans had run away, they also ran away from Abishai, Joab's brother, and retreated into the town. So Joab went back 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 As soon as the Arameans saw they had been defeated by the Israelites so they sent for reinforcements from the other side of the Euphrates River, under the leadership of Shobach, commander of Hadadezer's army.

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 When this was reported to David, he assembled all Israel together. He crossed the Jordan and approached the Aramean army, drawing up his forces in battle line against them. When David engaged in battle with them 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 But the Aramean army ran away from the Israelites, and David killed 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 infantry, as well as Shobach, their army commander.

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

19 When Hadadezer's allies realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. As a result, the Arameans didn't want to help the Ammonites 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.