1Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash, king of the children of Ammon, died, and his son reigned in his stead.
2And David said, “I will be kind to Hanun, because his father, Nahash, has shown kindness to me”. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And the servants of David came into the land of the Ammonites to comfort Hanun.
3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, “Do you think that David does this honor your father, sending comforters to you? Have his servants not come to here to search, spy, and to overthrow the land?”
4Therefore, Hanun took David's servants, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
5Then certain persons went and told David how the men were treated. And David sent to meet them; for the men were greatly embarrassed. And David said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards are grown, and then return.”
6And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents (about 65 pounds) of silver to hire chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, out of Aram-maacah, and out of Zobah.
7So they hired thirty-two thousand chariots, plus the king of Maachah and his people; who came and encamped before Medeba. And the men of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.
8And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.
9And the men of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city; and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.
10Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.
11And the rest of the people he assigned to Abishai, his brother, and they set themselves in array against the men of Ammon.
12And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the men of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.
13Be 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”.
14So Joab and the people who were with him drew near the Syrians to battle; and the Syrians fled before him.
15And when the men of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, his brother, and retreated into the city. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem.
16And when the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they sent messengers, and brought out the Syrians (Arameans) who were beyond the Euphrates River; led by Shophach, the captain of Hadadezer’s army.
17This was reported to David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over the Jordan, and came in formation, set the battle in array, and fought against the Syrians.
18But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew seven thousand men of the Syrians who fought in chariots, forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach, the captain of the army.
19And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants; neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more. Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
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