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 Nahash king of the children of Ammon died, and 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 shew kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, 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 princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Is it, in thine eyes, to honour thy father that David has sent comforters to thee? Is it not to search and overthrow, and to spy out the land that his servants are come to thee?

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 Hanun took David's servants, and had them shaved, and their raiment cut off in the midst, as far as the hip, 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 [certain] went and told David concerning the men; and he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Abide at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then 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 they had made themselves odious to David; and Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and from the Syrians of Maacah, and from Zobah.

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 thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people; and they came and encamped before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered together from their cities, and came to battle.

8 When David learned of this, he sent Joab and the entire army to confront them.

And David heard [of it], and he sent Joab, and all the host, the 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 out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the city; and the kings that had come were by themselves on the field.

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 the front of the battle was against him before and behind; and he chose out of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians;

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 Abishai his brother, 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 Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; and if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help 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 strong, and let us shew ourselves valiant for our people, and for the cities of our God; and Jehovah will do what is good in his sight.

14 Joab attacked the Arameans with his forces and they ran away from him.

And Joab and the people that were with him drew near in front of the Syrians to the battle; and they fled before him.

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 when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into 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 when the Syrians saw that they were routed before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river; and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer [went] 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 passed over the Jordan, and came upon them, and set [the battle] in array against them. And David put the battle in array against the Syrians, and they fought with 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 [in] chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and slew Shophach the captain of the host.

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 Hadarezer saw that they were routed before Israel, and they made peace with David, and became his servants. And the Syrians would no more help the children of Ammon.