1 Chronicles 19
1 Forsothe it bifelde, that Naas, kyng of the sones of Amon, diede, and his sone regnyde for him.
It came about later that Nahash, king of the people of Ammon, died, and that his son became king in his place.
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,
David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. David's servants entered the land of the Ammonites and went to Hanun, in order 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.
But the Ammonite princes said to Hanun, “Do you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent men to comfort you? Do not his servants come to you to explore and examine the land in order to 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 seized David's servants, shaved them, cut off their garments to the waist, up 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.
When they explained this to David, he sent to meet with them, for the men were deeply ashamed. The king said, “Stay at 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 saw that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire Aramean chariots and horsemen from Naharaim, 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.
They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah and his army, who came and encamped before Medeba. Then the Ammonites gathered themselves together from their cities and came out to battle.
8 And whanne Dauid `hadde herd this, he sente Joab, and al the oost of stronge men.
When David heard of it, he sent Joab and his entire army to meet them.
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 people of Ammon came out and lined up for battle at the city gate, while the kings who had 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;
When Joab saw the battle lines facing him both in front and behind, he chose some of Israel's best fighters and arranged 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.
As for the rest of the army, he gave it into the command of Abishai his brother, and he put them into battle lines against the army 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,
Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you, Abishai, must rescue me. But if the army of Ammon is too strong for you, then I will come and rescue you.
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 show ourselves to be strong for our people and for the cities of our God, for Yahweh will do what is good in his eyes.”
14 Therfor Joab yede, and the puple that was with hym, ayens Sirus to batel, and he droof hem awei.
So Joab and the soldiers of his army advanced to the battle against the Arameans, who were forced to flee before the army of Israel.
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 army of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from Joab's brother Abishai and went back into the city. Then Joab returned from the people of Ammon and 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 were being defeated by Israel, they sent for reinforcements from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer's army.
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 David was told this, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan, and came upon them. He arranged the army for battle against the Arameans, and they fought 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.
The Arameans fled from Israel, and David killed seven thousand Aramean charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak, the commander of the 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 all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served them. So the people of Aram were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
