CHAPTER 10
And David
said,
“I will show
kindness
to
Hanun
son
of Nahash,
just as
his father
showed
kindness
to me.”
So David
sent
some of his servants
to console Hanun
concerning
his father.
But when they
arrived
in the land
of the Ammonites,
the princes
of the Ammonites
said
to
Hanun
their lord,
“Just because
David has sent
you
comforters,
do you really believe
he is
showing respect
for your father?
Has not
David
instead sent
his servants
to
explore
the city,
spy it out,
and overthrow it?"
So Hanun
took
David’s
servants,
shaved off
half
of each man's beard,
cut
their garments
in half
at
the hips,
and sent them away.
When this was reported
to David,
he sent messengers
to meet the men,
since
they were
deeply
humiliated.
The king
told them,
“Stay
in Jericho
until
your beards
have grown back,
and then return.”
When the Ammonites
realized that
they had become a stench
to David,
they
hired
twenty
thousand
Aramean
foot soldiers
from Beth-rehob
and
Zoba,
as well as
a thousand
men
from the king
of Maacah
and twelve
thousand
men
from Tob.
The Ammonites
marched out
and arrayed themselves
for battle
at the entrance
to their city gate,
while the Arameans
of Zobah
and Rehob
and the men
of Tob
and Maacah
were by themselves
in the open country.
When Joab
saw
the battle lines
before him
and behind him,
he selected
some of
the best
men of Israel
and arrayed them
against
the Arameans.
And
he placed
the rest
of the forces
under the command
of his brother
Abishai,
who arrayed them
against
the Ammonites.
“If
the Arameans
are too strong
for me,”
said Joab,
“then you will come
to my rescue.
And if
the Ammonites
are too strong
for you,
then I will come
to your rescue.
Be strong
and let us fight bravely
for
our people
and for
the cities
of our God.
May the LORD
do
what is good
in His sight.”
When the Ammonites
saw
that
the Arameans
had fled,
they too fled
before
Abishai,
and they entered
the city.
So Joab
returned
from fighting against
the Ammonites
and came
to Jerusalem.
Hadadezer
sent
messengers to bring
more Arameans
from beyond
the Euphrates,
and they came
to Helam
with Shobach
the commander
of Hadadezer’s
army
leading them.
When this was reported
to David,
he gathered
all
Israel,
crossed
the Jordan,
and went
to Helam.
Then the Arameans
arrayed themselves
against
David
and fought
against him.
But the Arameans
fled
before
Israel,
and David
killed
seven
hundred
charioteers
and forty
thousand
foot soldiers.
He also struck down
Shobach
commander
of their army,
who died
there.
When all
the kings who were
subject
to Hadadezer
saw
that
they had been defeated
by
Israel,
they made peace
with
Israel
and became subject to them.
So the Arameans
were afraid
to help
the Ammonites
anymore.