2 Samuel 10

1 After this, the King of the children of Ammon dyed, and Hanun his sonne reigned in his steade.

Now after this, death came to the king of the children of Ammon, and Hanun, his son, became king in his place.

2 Then sayde Dauid, I will shewe kindnesse vnto Hanun the sonne of Nahash, as his father shewed kindnesse vnto me. And Dauid sent his seruantes to comfort him for his father. So Dauids seruants came into the lande of the children of Ammon.

And David said, I will be a friend to Hanun, the son of Nahash, as his father was a friend to me. So David sent his servants, to give him words of comfort on account of his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

3 And the princes of the children of Ammon sayde vnto Hanun their lorde, Thinkest thou that Dauid doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters to thee? hath not Dauid rather sent his seruants vnto thee, to search the citie, and to spie it out, and to ouerthrow it?

But the chiefs of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Does it seem to you that David is honouring your father by sending comforters to you? has he not sent his servants to go through the town and make secret observation of it, and overcome it?

4 Wherefore Hanun tooke Dauids seruants, and shaued off the halfe of their beard, and cut off their garments in the middle, euen to their buttockes, and sent them away.

So Hanun took David's servants, and after cutting off half the hair on their chins, and cutting off the skirts of their robes up to the middle, he sent them away.

5 When it was told vnto Dauid, he sent to meete them (for the men were exceedingly ashamed) and the King sayde, Tary at Iericho, vntill your beards be growen, then returne.

When David had news of it, he sent men out with the purpose of meeting them on their way, for the men were greatly shamed: and the king said, Go to Jericho till your hair is long again, and then come back.

6 And when the children of Ammon sawe that they stanke in the sight of Dauid, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Aramites of the house of Rehob, and the Aramites of Zoba, twentie thousande footemen, and of King Maacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob twelue thousande men.

And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves hated by David, they sent to the Aramaeans of Beth-rehob and Zobah, and got for payment twenty thousand footmen, and they got from the king of Maacah a thousand men, and from Tob twelve thousand.

7 And when Dauid heard of it, he sent Ioab, and all the hoste of the strong men.

And hearing of this, David sent Joab and all the army and the best fighting-men.

8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put their armie in araye at the entring in of the gate: and the Aramites of Zoba, and of Rehob, and of Ish-tob, and of Maacah were by themselues in the fielde.

And the children of Ammon came out and put their forces in position at the way into the town: and the Aramaeans of Zobah and of Rehob, with the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

9 When Ioab saw that the front of the battel was against him before and behinde, he chose of all the choyse of Israel, and put them in aray against the Aramites.

Now when Joab saw that their forces were in position against him in front and at his back, he took the best of the men of Israel and put them in line against the Aramaeans;

10 And the rest of the people hee deliuered into the hande of Abishai his brother, that hee might put them in aray against the children of Ammon.

And the rest of the people he put in position against the children of Ammon, with Abishai, his brother, at their head.

11 And he sayde, If the Aramites be stronger then I, thou shalt helpe me, and if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, I will come and succour thee.

And he said, If the Aramaeans are stronger and get the better of me, then you are to come to my help; but if the children of Ammon get the better of you, I will come to your help.

12 Be strong and let vs be valiant for our people, and for the cities of our God, and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes.

Take heart, and let us be strong for our people and for the towns of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.

13 Then Ioab, and the people that was with him, ioyned in battel with the Aramites, who fled before him.

Then Joab and the people with him went forward to the fight against the Aramaeans, and they went in flight before him.

14 And when the children of Ammon sawe that the Aramites fled, they fled also before Abishai, and entred into the citie. so Ioab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Ierusalem.

And when the children of Ammon saw the flight of the Aramaeans, they themselves went in flight from Abishai, and came into the town. So Joab went back from fighting the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

15 And when the Aramites sawe that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered them together.

And when the Aramaeans saw that Israel had overcome them, they got themselves together.

16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Aramites that were beyond the Riuer: and they came to Helam, and Shobach the captaine of the hoste of Hadarezer went before them.

And Hadadezer sent for the Aramaeans who were on the other side of the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach, the captain of Hadadezer's army, at their head.

17 When it was shewed Dauid, then he gathered all Israel together, and passed ouer Iorden and came to Helam: and the Aramites set themselues in aray against Dauid, and fought with him:

And word of this was given to David: and he got all Israel together and went over Jordan and came to Helam. And the Aramaeans put their forces in position against David, and made an attack on him.

18 And the Aramites fled before Israel: and Dauid destroyed seuen hundreth charets of the Aramites, and fourtie thousande horsemen, and smote Shobach the captaine of his hoste, who dyed there.

And the Aramaeans went in flight before Israel; and David put to the sword the men of seven hundred Aramaean war-carriages and forty thousand footmen, and Shobach, the captain of the army, was wounded, and came to his death there.

19 And when all the Kings, that were seruants to Hadarezer, saw that they fell before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and serued them. and the Aramites feared to helpe the children of Ammon any more.

And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they were overcome by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became their servants. So the Aramaeans, in fear, gave no more help to the children of Ammon.