2 Samuel 10


The Ammonites Dishonor David’s Men

aNow it happened afterwards, that bthe king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son became king in his place.
2 So David said, “I will show lovingkindness to Hanun the son of aNahash, just as his father showed lovingkindness to me.” So David sent to comfort him concerning his father by the hand of his servants. And David’s servants came to the land of the sons of Ammon. 3 But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “In your eyes, is David honoring your father because he has sent comforters to you? aHas David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants and ashaved off half of their beards, and bcut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away. 5 Then they told it to David. And he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly dishonored. And the king said, “1Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return.”
6 Then the sons of Ammon saw that athey had become odious to David. So the sons of Ammon sent and bhired the Arameans of cBeth-rehob and the dArameans of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of eMaacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob with 12,000 men.
7 Then David heard of it and sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men. 8 And the sons of Ammon came out and arranged themselves for battle aat the entrance of the gate of the city. But the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of bTob and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

David Defeats Ammon and Aram

9 Then Joab saw that 1the battle was set against him from the front and from the rear. So he chose from all the choice men of Israel, and they arranged themselves to meet the Arameans.
10 But the remainder of the people he put in the hand of Abishai his brother; and he arranged them to meet the sons of Ammon. 11 And he said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall save me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to save you. 12 aBe strong, and let us show strength for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and bmay Yahweh do what is good in His sight.” 13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Arameans, and athey fled before him. 14 Now the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled. So they also fled before Abishai and came into the city. aThen Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.
15 Then the Arameans saw that they had been 1defeated by Israel. So they gathered themselves together.
16 aAnd Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the 1River, and they came to Helam; and bShobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer 2led them. 17 And it was told to David, so he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Arameans arranged themselves to meet David and fought against him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed of the Arameans a700 charioteers and 40,000 horsemen and struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there. 19 Then all the kings, the servants of Hadadezer, saw that they were 1defeated by Israel. So athey made peace with Israel and served them. And the Arameans were afraid to save the sons of Ammon anymore.
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