1 Chronicles 19
1 Forsothe it bifelde, that Naas, kyng of the sones of Amon, diede, and his sone regnyde for him.
Some time later, Nahash king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son.
2 And Dauid seide, Y schal do mercy with Anoon, the sone of Naas; for his fadir yaf merci to me. And Dauid sente messageris, to coumforte hym on the deeth of his fadir. And whanne thei weren comen in to the lond of the sones of Amon,
And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console Hanun concerning his father. But when David’s servants arrived in the land of the Ammonites to console him,
3 for to coumforte Anon, the princes of the sones of Amon seiden to Anon, In hap thou gessist, that Dauid for cause of onour in to thi fadir sente men, that schulden coumforte thee; and thou perseyuest not, that hise seruauntis ben comen to thee to aspie, and enquere, and seche thi lond.
the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Have not his servants come to you to explore the land, spy it out, and overthrow it?”
4 Therfor Anoon made ballid and schauyde the children of Dauid, and kittide the cootis of hem fro the buttokis of hem til to the feet; and lefte hem.
So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved their beards, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.
5 And whanne thei hadden go, and hadden sent this to Dauid, he sente in to the meting of hem; for thei hadden suffrid greet dispit; and he comaundide, that thei schulden dwelle in Gerico, til her berde wexide, and thanne thei schulden turne ayen.
When someone came and told David about his men, he sent messengers to meet them, since the men had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”
6 Forsothe the sones of Amon sien, that thei hadden do wrong to Dauid, bothe Anoon and the tother puple, and thei senten a thousynde talentis of siluer, for to hire to hem charis and horsmen of Mesopotanye and Sirie, of Maacha and of Soba;
When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah.
7 and thei hiriden to hem two and thretti thousynde of charis, and the kyng of Maacha with his puple. And whanne thei weren comen, thei settiden tentis euene ayens Medaba; and the sones of Amon weren gaderid fro her citees, and camen to batel.
So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, as well as the king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba while the Ammonites came from their cities and marched out for battle.
8 And whanne Dauid `hadde herd this, he sente Joab, and al the oost of stronge men.
On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men.
9 And the sones of Amon yeden out, and dressiden scheltrun bisidis the yate of the citee; but the kyngis, that weren comen to helpe, stoden asidis half in the feeld.
The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come stayed by themselves in the open country.
10 Therfor Joab vndurstood, that batel was maad ayens hym `euene ayens and bihynde the bak, and he chees the strongeste men of al Israel, and yede ayens Sirus;
When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.
11 sotheli he yaf the residue part of the puple vnder the hond of Abisai, his brother; and thei yeden ayens the sones of Amon.
And he placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites.
12 And Joab seide, If Sirus schal ouercome me, thou schalt helpe me; sotheli if the sones of Amon schulen ouercome thee, Y schal helpe thee; be thou coumfortid,
“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.
13 and do we manli for oure puple, and for the citees of oure God; forsothe the Lord do that, that is good in his siyt.
Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.”
14 Therfor Joab yede, and the puple that was with hym, ayens Sirus to batel, and he droof hem awei.
So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him.
15 Sotheli the sones of Amon sien, that Sirus hadde fled, and thei fledden fro Abisay, his brother, and entriden in to the citee; and Joab turnede ayen in to Jerusalem.
When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Joab’s brother Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.
16 Forsothe Sirus siy, that he felde doun bifor Israel, and he sente messageris, and brouyte Sirus, that was biyende the flood; sotheli Sophath, the prynce of chyualrie of Adadezer, was the duyk of hem.
When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.
17 And whanne this was teld to Dauid, he gaderide al Israel, and passide Jordan; and he felde in on hem, and dresside scheltrun euene ayens hem, fiytynge ayenward.
When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced toward the Arameans, and arrayed for battle against them. When David lined up to engage them in battle, they fought against him.
18 `Forsothe Sirus fledde fro Israel, and Dauid killide of men of Sirie seuene thousynde of charis, and fourti thousynde of foot men, and Sophath, the prince of the oost.
But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach the commander of their army.
19 Sotheli the seruauntis of Adadezer siyen, that thei weren ouercomun of Israel, and thei fledden ouer to Dauid, and seruiden hym; and Sirie wolde no more yyue helpe to the sones of Amon.
When Hadadezer’s subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were unwilling to help the Ammonites anymore.
