1 Chroniques 19
1 Sur ces entrefaites, Nahach, le roi des Ammonites, mourut, et son fils lui succéda.
Now it happened that Nahash, the king of the sons of Ammon, died, and his son reigned in his place.
2 David se dit: "Je veux agir amicalement avec Hanoun, fils de Nahach, comme son père a agi à mon égard." Et David envoya des émissaires pour lui présenter des condoléances au sujet de son père, et les serviteurs de David se rendirent au pays des Ammonites pour porter des condoléances à Hanoun.
And David said: “I will act with mercy toward Hanun, the son of Nahash. For his father was gracious to me.” And so David sent messengers to console him over the death of his father. But when they had reached the land of the sons of Ammon, so that they might console Hanun,
3 Mais les princes ammonites dirent à Hanoun: "Est-ce, à ton avis, pour honorer ton père que David t’a envoyé des consolateurs? N’Est-ce pas plutôt pour explorer, troubler et espionner le pays que ses serviteurs sont venus te trouver?"
the leaders of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun: “Do you think that perhaps David has sent them to console you in order to honor your father? Have you not noticed that his servants came to you so that they might explore, and investigate, and examine your land?”
4 Alors Hanoun fit saisir les serviteurs de David, ordonna de les raser et de couper la moitié de leurs vêtements jusqu’aux hanches, puis il les congédia.
And so Hanun shaved the heads and beards of the servants of David, and he cut away their tunics from the buttocks to the feet, and he sent them away.
5 Ceux-ci partis, on mit David au courant de ce qui était arrivé à ces hommes, et il envoya au-devant d’eux car ces hommes étaient accablés de honte et leur fit dire: "Restez à Jéricho jusqu’à ce que votre barbe ait repoussé, puis vous reviendrez."
And when they had gone, and had sent word to David, (for they had suffered a great disgrace, ) he sent to meet them, and he instructed them that they should remain at Jericho until their beards grew, and then they should return.
6 Les Ammonites, voyant qu’ils s’étaient mis en mauvaise odeur auprès de David, envoyèrent, de concert avec Hanoun, mille kikkar d’argent pour soudoyer dans la Syrie du Double-Fleuve, dans la Syrie de Maakha et de Çoba des chars et des cavaliers.
Then, when the sons of Ammon realized that they had committed an injury against David, both Hanun and the rest of the people sent one thousand talents of silver, so that they might hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, and from Syrian Maacah, and from Zobah.
7 Ils soudoyèrent ainsi trente-deux mille chars ainsi que le roi de Maakha et son peuple, qui vinrent camper devant Mèdeba; de leur côté, les Ammonites sortirent ensemble de leurs villes et entrèrent en campagne.
And they hired thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah with his people. When these had arrived, they made camp in the region opposite Medeba. Also, the sons of Ammon, gathering from their cities, went to war.
8 A cette nouvelle, David envoya Joab avec toute son armée de vaillants.
And when David had heard this, he sent Joab and the entire army of strong men.
9 Les Ammonites s’avancèrent et se mirent en bataille à l’entrée de la ville, tandis que les rois qui étaient accourus restaient séparés dans la campagne.
And the sons of Ammon, going out, set up a battle line before the gate of the city. But the kings who had come to their aid stood separately in the field.
10 Joab, voyant que la bataille le menaçait par-devant et par-derrière, fit choix des meilleurs guerriers d’Israël et les disposa devant les Syriens.
And so Joab, understanding the war to be set facing him and behind his back, chose the strongest men from all of Israel, and he went out against the Syrians.
11 Pour le reste de l’armée, il le mit sous les ordres de son frère Abchaï et le rangea devant les Ammonites.
But the remaining portion of the people he placed under the hand of his brother Abishai. And they went out against the sons of Ammon.
12 Et il dit: "Si les Syriens l’emportent sur moi, tu viendras à mon secours; si les Ammonites l’emportent sur toi, c’est moi qui viendrai te secourir.
And he said: “If the Syrians prevail over me, then you shall be a help to me. But if the sons of Ammon prevail over you, I will be a safeguard for you.
13 Sois fort, soyons forts pour notre peuple et pour les villes de notre Dieu, et que le Seigneur agisse selon sa volonté!"
Be strengthened, and let us act manfully on behalf of our people, and on behalf of the cities of our God. And the Lord will do what is good in his own sight.”
14 Joab, avec la troupe qui l’accompagnait, engagea la bataille contre les Syriens, qui s’enfuirent devant lui.
Therefore, Joab, and the people who were with him, went out to battle against the Syrians. And he put them to flight.
15 Les Ammonites, voyant fuir les Syriens, lâchèrent pied devant son frère Abchaï et rentrèrent dans la ville; et Joab revint à Jérusalem.
Then the sons of Ammon, seeing that the Syrians had fled, also themselves fled from Abishai, his brother, and they entered into the city. And now Joab returned to Jerusalem.
16 Mais les Syriens, se voyant battus par les Israélites, envoyèrent des messagers et firent avancer les Syriens de delà le Fleuve, sous le commandement de Chopakh, chef de l’armée de Hadadézer.
But the Syrians, seeing that they had fallen before Israel, sent messengers, and they brought the Syrians who were across the river. And Shophach, the leader of the military of Hadadezer, was their commander.
17 Quand David en fut informé, il rassembla tout Israël, traversa le Jourdain, arriva à Hélam et aligna ses troupes en face d’eux. Il commença à combattre les Syriens, qui acceptèrent la bataille.
When this had been reported to David, he gathered together all of Israel, and he crossed the Jordan. And he rushed toward them. And he set up a battle line facing them. And they fought against him.
18 Aram prit la fuite devant Israël, et David lui tua sept mille attelages et quarante mille hommes de pied. Il fit périr aussi Chopakh, chef de l’armée.
But the Syrians fled from Israel. And David killed of the Syrians seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand men on foot, and Shophach, the leader of the army.
19 Les serviteurs de Hadadézer, voyant qu’Israël les avait défaits, firent la paix avec David et devinrent ses tributaires; et les Syriens ne furent plus disposés à venir en aide aux Ammonites.
Then the servants of Hadadezer, seeing themselves to be overwhelmed by Israel, crossed over to David, and they served him. And Syria was no longer willing to offer aid to the sons of Ammon.
