1 Chronicles 19

1 Forsothe it bifelde, that Naas, kyng of the sones of Amon, diede, and his sone regnyde for him.

And it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.

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 shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. So 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 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.

But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?

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, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, 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.

Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, 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;

And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Aram-maacah, and out of 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 them thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cites, and came to battle.

8 And whanne Dauid `hadde herd this, he sente Joab, and al the oost of stronge men.

And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the 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.

And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.

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;

Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

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 the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother, and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

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,

And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.

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 of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.

14 Therfor Joab yede, and the puple that was with hym, ayens Sirus to batel, and he droof hem awei.

So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they 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.

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came 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.

And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the River, with Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head.

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.

And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with 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.

And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians [the men of] seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.

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.

And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and served him: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.