| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him as king. | 1Later King Nahash of the Ammonites died and his son succeeded him. |
| 2David thought, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David's envoys came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him, | 2David said, "I will express my loyalty to Hanun son of Nahash, for his father was loyal to me." So David sent messengers to express his sympathy over his father's death. When David's servants entered Ammonite territory to visit Hanun and express the king's sympathy, |
| 3the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven't his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?" | 3the Ammonite officials said to Hanun, "Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? No, his servants have come to you so they can get information and spy out the land!" |
| 4So Hanun seized David's envoys, shaved them, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away. | 4So Hanun seized David's servants and shaved their beards off. He cut off the lower part of their robes so that their buttocks were exposed and then sent them away. |
| 5When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, "Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back." | 5Messengers came and told David what had happened to the men, so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, "Stay in Jericho until your beards grow again; then you may come back." |
| 6When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maakah and Zobah. | 6When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah, and Zobah. |
| 7They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maakah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle. | 7They hired 32,000 chariots, along with the king of Maacah and his army, who came and camped in front of Medeba. The Ammonites also assembled from their cities and marched out to do battle. |
| 8On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. | 8When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. |
| 9The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country. | 9The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field. |
| 10Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. | 10When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel's best men and deployed them against the Arameans. |
| 11He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites. | 11He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army and they were deployed against the Ammonites. |
| 12Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. | 12Joab said, "If the Arameans start to overpower me, you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, I will come to your rescue. |
| 13Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight." | 13Be strong! Let's fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The LORD will do what he decides is best!" |
| 14Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. | 14So Joab and his men marched toward the Arameans to do battle, and they fled before him. |
| 15When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem. | 15When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before Joab's brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. Joab went back to Jerusalem. |
| 16After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer's army leading them. | 16When the Arameans realized they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for reinforcements from beyond the Euphrates River, led by Shophach the commanding general of Hadadezer's army. |
| 17When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him. | 17When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and marched against them. David deployed his army against the Arameans for battle and they fought against him. |
| 18But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak the commander of their army. | 18The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 7,000 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 infantrymen; he also killed Shophach the commanding general. |
| 19When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore. | 19When Hadadezer's subjects saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites. |
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