Ii Samuelis 10
1 Factum est autem post haec, ut moreretur rex filiorum Ammon, et regnavit Hanon filius eius pro eo.
Sometime after this, Nahash, the Ammonite king died and his son Hanun succeeded him.
2 Dixitque David: Faciam misericordiam cum Hanon filio Naas, sicut fecit pater eius mecum misericordiam. Misit ergo David, consolans eum per servos suos super patris interitu. Cum autem venissent servi David in terram filiorum Ammon,
David said, “I will be kind to Hanun, son of Nahash, just as his father was kind to me.” So David sent representatives to take his condolences to Hanun regarding his father. But when they arrived in the country of the Ammonites,
3 dixerunt principes filiorum Ammon ad Hanon dominum suum: Putas quod propter honorem patris tui miserit David ad te consolatores, et non ideo ut investigaret, et exploraret civitatem, et everteret eam, misit David servos suos ad te?
the Ammonite military leaders said to Hanun their king, “Do you really believe David sent condolences to you out of respect for your father? Isn't it more likely that David sent his representatives to scout out the city, spy on it, and then conquer it?”
4 Tulit itaque Hanon servos David, rasitque dimidiam partem barbae eorum, et praescidit vestes eorum medias usque ad nates, et dimisit eos.
So Hanun had David's representatives detained, shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their clothes at the buttocks, and then sent them back home.
5 Quod cum nunciatum esset David, misit in occursum eorum: erant enim viri confusi turpiter valde, et mandavit eis David: Manete in Iericho, donec crescat barba vestra, et tunc revertimini.
When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet them, because they were very embarrassed. The king instructed them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have re-grown, and then you can return.”
6 Videntes autem filii Ammon quod iniuriam fecissent David, miserunt, et conduxerunt mercede Syrum Rohob, et Syrum Soba, viginti millia peditum, et a rege Maacha mille viros, et ab Istob duodecim millia virorum.
When the Ammonites realized they had become like a bad smell to David, they sent a request to the Arameans and hired twenty thousand of their foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as one thousand men from the king of Maakah, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.
7 Quod cum audisset David, misit Ioab et omnem exercitum bellatorum.
When David learned of this, he sent Joab and the entire army to confront them.
8 Egressi sunt ergo filii Ammon, et direxerunt aciem ante ipsum introitum portae: Syrus autem Soba, et Rohob, et Istob, et Maacha seorsum erant in campo.
The Ammonites set up their battle lines near the entrance to their town gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah took up positions by themselves in the open fields.
9 Videns igitur Ioab quod praeparatum esset adversum se praelium, et ex adverso et post tergum, elegit ex omnibus electis Israel, et instruxit aciem contra Syrum:
Joab realized he would have to fight both in front of him and behind him, he chose some of Israel's best troops and he took charge of them to lead the attack the Arameans.
10 reliquam autem partem populi tradidit Abisai fratri suo, qui direxit aciem adversus filios Ammon.
He put the rest of the army under the command of Abishai, his brother. They were to attack the Ammonites.
11 Et ait Ioab: Si praevaluerint adversum me Syri, eris mihi in adiutorium: si autem filii Ammon praevaluerint adversum te, auxiliabor tibi.
Joab told him, “If the Arameans are stronger than me, you come and help me. If the Ammonites are stronger than you, I'll come and help you.
12 Esto vir fortis, et pugnemus pro populo nostro, et civitate Dei nostri: Dominus autem faciet quod bonum est in conspectu suo.
Be brave, and fight your best for our people and the towns of our God. May the Lord do what he sees as good!”
13 Iniit itaque Ioab et populus qui erat cum eo, certamen contra Syros: qui statim fugerunt a facie eius.
Joab attacked the Arameans with his forces and they ran away from him.
14 Filii autem Ammon videntes quia fugissent Syri, fugerunt et ipsi a facie Abisai, et ingressi sunt civitatem: reversusque est Ioab a filiis Ammon, et venit Ierusalem.
When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had run away, they also ran away from Abishai, and retreated into the town. So Joab went back to Jerusalem after fighting the Ammonites.
15 Videntes igitur filii Ammon, quoniam Syrus expavit, et quoniam corruissent coram Israel, congregati sunt pariter.
As soon as the Arameans saw they had been defeated by the Israelites they reassembled their forces.
16 Misitque Adarezer, et eduxit Syros, qui erant trans fluvium, et adduxit eorum exercitum: Sobach autem, magister militiae Adarezer, erat princeps eorum.
Hadadezer sent for more Arameans to be brought from beyond the Euphrates River. They arrived in Helam under the leadership of Shobach, commander of Hadadezer's army.
17 Quod cum nunciatum esset David, contraxit omnem Israelem, et transivit Iordanem, venitque in Helam: et direxerunt aciem Syri ex adverso David, et pugnaverunt contra eum.
When this was reported to David, he assembled all Israel together. He crossed the Jordan and advanced on Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle line against David and fought him.
18 Fugeruntque Syri a facie Israel, et occidit David de Syris septingentos currus, et quadraginta millia equitum: et Sobach principem militiae percussit: qui statim mortuus est.
But the Aramean army ran away from the Israelites, and David killed 700 charioteers and 40,000 infantry. He also attacked Shobach, their army commander, and he died there.
19 Videntes autem universi reges, qui erant in praesidio Adarezer, se victos esse ab Israel, expaverunt et fugerunt quinquaginta et octo millia coram Israel. Et fecerunt pacem cum Israel: et servierunt eis, timueruntque Syri auxilium praebere filiis Ammon.
When all the kings allied with Hadadezer realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. As a result, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites any more.
