19
1 After
this, Nahash the
king of the
children of Ammon
died, and his
son reigned in
his place.
2 David said,
“I will show
kindness to Hanun
the son of
Nahash, because
his father showed
kindness to me.”
So David sent
messengers to
comfort him
concerning his
father. David’s
servants came into
the land of the
children of Ammon
to Hanun to
comfort him.
3 But
the princes of
the children of
Ammon said to
Hanun, “Do you
think that David
honors your father,
in that he
has sent
comforters to you?
Haven’t his servants
come to you
to search, to
overthrow, and to
spy out the land?”
4 So
Hanun took David’s
servants, shaved
them, and cut
off their garments
in the middle
at their buttocks,
and sent them
away.
5 Then some
people went and
told David how
the men were treated.
He sent to
meet them; for
the men were
greatly humiliated.
The king said, “Stay
at Jericho until
your beards have
grown, and then
return.”
6 When
the children of
Ammon saw that
they had
made themselves odious to
David, Hanun and
the children of
Ammon sent
one thousand talents
of silver to
hire chariots and
horsemen out
of Mesopotamia, out
of Aram-maacah, and
out of Zobah.
7 So
they hired for
themselves thirty-two thousand
chariots, and the
king of Maacah
with his people,
who came and
encamped near
Medeba. The
children of
Ammon gathered themselves
together from
their cities, and
came to battle.
8 When
David heard of
it, he sent
Joab with all
the army of
the mighty men.
9 The
children of Ammon
came out, and
put the battle
in array at
the gate of
the city; and
the kings who
had come were
by themselves in
the field.
10 Now
when Joab saw
that the battle
was set against
him before
and behind, he chose
some of all
the choice men
of Israel, and
put them in
array against
the Syrians.
11 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 He said, “If
the Syrians are
too strong for
me, then you
are to help
me; but if
the children of
Ammon are too
strong for you,
then I will
help you.
13 Be
courageous, and let’s
be strong for
our people and
for the cities
of our God.
May the LORD
do that which
seems good to
him.”
14 So
Joab and the
people who were
with him came
near to the
front of
the Syrians to the
battle; and they
fled before him.
15 When
the children of
Ammon saw that
the Syrians had
fled, they
likewise fled
before Abishai his brother,
and entered into
the city. Then
Joab came to
Jerusalem.
16 When
the Syrians saw
that they were
defeated by Israel,
they sent
messengers and called
out the Syrians
who were beyond
the River,
with Shophach the
captain of the
army of Hadadezer
leading them.
17 David
was told that,
so he gathered
all Israel
together, passed
over the Jordan,
came to 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 The Syrians
fled before Israel;
and David killed
of the Syrian men
seven thousand charioteers
and forty thousand footmen,
and also killed
Shophach the
captain of the
army.
19 When
the servants of
Hadadezer saw that
they were defeated
by Israel, they
made peace with
David and served
him. The Syrians
would not help
the children of
Ammon any more.