10
1 After
this, the king
of the children
of Ammon died,
and Hanun his
son reigned in
his place.
2 David said,
“I will show
kindness to Hanun
the son of
Nahash, as his
father showed
kindness to me.”
So David sent
by his servants
to comfort him
concerning his
father. David’s
servants came into
the land of the
children of Ammon.
3 But
the princes of
the children of
Ammon said to
Hanun their lord, “Do
you think that
David honors your
father, in that
he has sent
comforters to you?
Hasn’t David sent
his servants to
you to search
the city, to
spy it out,
and to overthrow
it?”
4 So
Hanun took David’s
servants, shaved
off one half of
their beards, and
cut off their
garments in the
middle, even to
their buttocks,
and sent them
away.
5 When
they told David
this, he sent
to meet them,
for the men were
greatly ashamed.
The king said, “Wait
at Jericho until
your beards have
grown, and then
return.”
6 When
the children of
Ammon saw that
they had
become odious to
David, the
children of Ammon
sent and hired
the Syrians of Beth Rehob
and the Syrians of
Zobah, twenty thousand
footmen, and the
king of Maacah
with one thousand
men, and the
men of Tob
twelve thousand men.
7 When
David heard of
it, he sent
Joab and all
the army of
the mighty men.
8 The
children of Ammon
came out, and
put the battle
in array at
the entrance of
the gate.
The Syrians of
Zobah and of
Rehob and the
men of Tob
and Maacah were
by themselves in
the field.
9 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.
10 The
rest of the
people he
committed into the
hand of Abishai
his brother; and
he put them
in array against
the children of
Ammon.
11 He said, “If
the Syrians are
too strong for
me, then you
shall help me;
but if the
children of Ammon
are too strong
for you, then
I will come
and help you.
12 Be
courageous, and let’s
be strong for
our people and
for the cities
of our God;
and may the
LORD do what
seems good to
him.”
13 So
Joab and the
people who were
with him came
near to the
battle against
the Syrians, and
they fled before
him.
14 When
the children of
Ammon saw that
the Syrians had
fled, they likewise
fled before Abishai,
and entered into
the city. Then
Joab returned from
the children of
Ammon and came
to Jerusalem.
15 When
the Syrians saw
that they were
defeated by Israel,
they gathered
themselves together.
16 Hadadezer
sent and brought
out the Syrians
who were beyond
the River; and
they came to
Helam, with
Shobach the
captain of the
army of Hadadezer
at their head.
17 David
was told that;
and he gathered
all Israel
together, passed
over the Jordan,
and came to
Helam. The Syrians
set themselves in
array against
David and fought
with him.
18 The Syrians
fled before Israel;
and David killed
seven hundred
charioteers of
the Syrians and forty thousand
horsemen, and
struck Shobach the
captain of their
army, so that
he died there.
19 When
all the kings
who were servants
to Hadadezer saw
that they were
defeated before
Israel, they made
peace with Israel
and served them.
So the Syrians
were afraid to
help the children
of Ammon any
more.