1 A fter this Nahash the king of the Ammonites died. And his son became king in his place.

¶ Now it came to pass after this that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon, died, and his son reigned in his stead.

2 D avid said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent men to bring him comfort in his sorrow for his father. David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the sons of Ammon, to bring him comfort.

And David said, I will show mercy unto Hanun, the son of Nahash, because his father showed mercy to me. And David sent ambassadors to comfort him concerning his father. So the slaves of David came into the land of the sons of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.

3 B ut the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, “Do you think that David is giving honor to your father by sending men to comfort you? Have not his servants come to spy out the land and destroy it?”

But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, Does it seem unto thee that David honours thy father, that he has sent comforters unto thee? Are not his slaves come unto thee to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?

4 S o Hanun took David’s servants and cut the hair from their faces. Then he cut off the bottom half of their clothing, and sent them away.

Then Hanun took David’s slaves and shaved them, and cut off their garments in half, exposing their buttocks and sent them away.

5 W hen David was told what had happened to his servants, he sent men out to meet them because the workmen were very ashamed. The king said, “Stay at Jericho until the hair grows again on your faces, and then return.”

Then they left, and it was told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards are grown and then return.

6 T he sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves to be hated by David. So Hanun and the sons of Ammon sent silver weighing as much as 1, 000 men, to get war-wagons and horsemen from Mesopotamia, Aram-maacah, and Zobah.

¶ And when the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the sons of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen out of Syria of the rivers (Mesopotamia), and out of Syria of Maachah and out of Zobah.

7 T hey paid for 32, 000 war-wagons and for the king of Maacah and his army who came and set up their tents by Medeba. Then the sons of Ammon gathered together from their cities and came to battle.

So they hired thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people, who came and pitched camp before Medeba. And the sons of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities and came to battle.

8 W hen David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of his strong men.

And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men.

9 T he sons of Ammon came out and were ready for battle at the city gate. The kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

And the sons of Ammon came out and put the battle in order before the gate of the city, and the kings that had come were by themselves in the field.

10 J oab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind. So he chose some of the best men of Israel and they made themselves ready to fight the Syrians.

Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel and put them in order against the Syrians.

11 B ut he had his brother Abishai lead the rest of the men. And they made themselves ready to fight the sons of Ammon.

And he put the rest of the people into the hand of Abishai, his brother, putting them in order against the sons of Ammon.

12 J oab said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then help me. But if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.

And he said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then thou shalt save me; but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for thee, then I will save thee.

13 B e strong; let us show our strength of heart because of our people, and for the cities of our God. May the Lord do what is good in His eyes.”

Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people and for the cities of our God; and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.

14 S o Joab and the men who were with him came near to fight against the Syrians. And the Syrians ran away from him.

So Joab and the people that were with him drew near before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.

15 T he sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians ran away. So they ran away from Joab’s brother Abishai, and went into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

And when the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem.

16 T he Syrians saw that they had lost the war with Israel. So they sent men with news, and brought out the Syrians who were on the other side of the Euphrates River. Shophach the captain of Hadadezer’s army was leading them.

And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they sent ambassadors and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river, whose captain was Shophach, the prince of the host of Hadarezer.

17 W hen David was told about it, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan. He came to them, and made his army ready to fight against them. When David made his army ready for battle, the Syrians fought against him.

And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel and passed over the Jordan and came upon them and ordered his host against them. And when David had put his troops in order against the Syrians, they fought with him.

18 A nd the Syrians ran away from Israel. David killed 7, 000 Syrians who drove war-wagons and 40, 000 Syrian foot soldiers. And he killed Shophach the captain of the army.

But the Syrians fled before Israel, and David slew of the Syrians those of seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen; likewise he killed Shophach, the captain of the host.

19 H adadezer’s servants saw that they had lost the war against Israel. So they made peace with David and worked for him. The Syrians were not willing to help the sons of Ammon any more.

And when the slaves of Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with David and became his servants; neither would the Syrians help the sons of Ammon any more.