^{1 Ref} Now after this, death came to the king of the children of Ammon, and Hanun, his son, became king in his place.

^{2 Ref} And David said, I will be a friend to Hanun, the son of Nahash, as his father was a friend to me. So David sent his servants, to give him words of comfort on account of his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

^{3 Ref} But the chiefs of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Does it seem to you that David is honouring your father by sending comforters to you? has he not sent his servants to go through the town and make secret observation of it, and overcome it?

^{4 Ref} So Hanun took David's servants, and after cutting off half the hair on their chins, and cutting off the skirts of their robes up to the middle, he sent them away.

^{5 Ref} When David had news of it, he sent men out with the purpose of meeting them on their way, for the men were greatly shamed: and the king said, Go to Jericho till your hair is long again, and then come back.

^{6 Ref} And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves hated by David, they sent to the Aramaeans of Beth-rehob and Zobah, and got for payment twenty thousand footmen, and they got from the king of Maacah a thousand men, and from Tob twelve thousand.

^{7 Ref} And hearing of this, David sent Joab and all the army and the best fighting-men.

^{8 Ref} And the children of Ammon came out and put their forces in position at the way into the town: and the Aramaeans of Zobah and of Rehob, with the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

^{9 Ref} Now when Joab saw that their forces were in position against him in front and at his back, he took the best of the men of Israel and put them in line against the Aramaeans;

¹⁰ And the rest of the people he put in position against the children of Ammon, with Abishai, his brother, at their head.

^{11 Ref} And he said, If the Aramaeans are stronger and get the better of me, then you are to come to my help; but if the children of Ammon get the better of you, I will come to your help.

^{12 Ref} Take heart, and let us be strong for our people and for the towns of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.

^{13 Ref} Then Joab and the people with him went forward to the fight against the Aramaeans, and they went in flight before him.

¹⁴ And when the children of Ammon saw the flight of the Aramaeans, they themselves went in flight from Abishai, and came into the town. So Joab went back from fighting the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

^{15 Ref} And when the Aramaeans saw that Israel had overcome them, they got themselves together.

^{16 Ref} And Hadadezer sent for the Aramaeans who were on the other side of the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach, the captain of Hadadezer's army, at their head.

^{17 Ref} And word of this was given to David: and he got all Israel together and went over Jordan and came to Helam. And the Aramaeans put their forces in position against David, and made an attack on him.

^{18 Ref} And the Aramaeans went in flight before Israel; and David put to the sword the men of seven hundred Aramaean war-carriages and forty thousand footmen, and Shobach, the captain of the army, was wounded, and came to his death there.

^{19 Ref} And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they were overcome by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became their servants. So the Aramaeans, in fear, gave no more help to the children of Ammon.

^{1 Ref} It happened after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.

^{2 Ref} David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shown 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 Ref} 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, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

^{4 Ref} So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

^{5 Ref} When they told it to David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, Wait at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

^{6 Ref} When the children of Ammon saw that they were 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 Ref} When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

^{8 Ref} The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

^{9 Ref} 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 Ref} He said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

^{12 Ref} Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God: and Yahweh do that which seems him good.

^{13 Ref} So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

¹⁴ When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

^{15 Ref} When the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

^{16 Ref} Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head.

^{17 Ref} It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

^{18 Ref} The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrians [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died there.

^{19 Ref} When all the kings who were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

^{1 Ref} And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

^{2 Ref} And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness unto me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

^{3 Ref} But the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father, in that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David sent his servants unto thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

^{4 Ref} So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

^{5 Ref} When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

^{6 Ref} And when the children of Ammon saw that they were 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 a thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men.

^{7 Ref} And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

^{8 Ref} And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

^{9 Ref} 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 And 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 Ref} And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me; but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.

^{12 Ref} Be of good courage, and let us play the man for ou people, and for the cities of our God: and Jehovah do that which seemeth him good.

^{13 Ref} So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

¹⁴ And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

^{15 Ref} And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

^{16 Ref} And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head.

^{17 Ref} And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

^{18 Ref} And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians `the men of' seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, so that he died there.

^{19 Ref} And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.