1 And it came to pass after this|strong="H0310", that the king|strong="H4428" of the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983" died|strong="H4191", and Hanun|strong="H2586" his son|strong="H1121" reigned|strong="H4427" in his stead.
2 Then said|strong="H0559" David|strong="H1732", I will shew|strong="H6213" kindness|strong="H2617" unto Hanun|strong="H2586" the son|strong="H1121" of Nahash|strong="H5176", as his father|strong="H0001" shewed|strong="H6213" kindness|strong="H2617" unto me. And David|strong="H1732" sent|strong="H7971" to comfort|strong="H5162" him by the hand|strong="H3027" of his servants|strong="H5650" for his father|strong="H0001". And David’s|strong="H1732" servants|strong="H5650" came|strong="H0935" into the land|strong="H0776" of the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983".
3 And the princes|strong="H8269" of the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983" said|strong="H0559" unto Hanun|strong="H2586" their lord|strong="H0113", Thinkest|strong="H5869" thou that David|strong="H1732" doth honour|strong="H3513" thy father|strong="H0001", that he hath sent|strong="H7971" comforters|strong="H5162" unto thee? hath not David|strong="H1732" rather sent|strong="H7971" his servants|strong="H5650" unto thee, to|strong="H5668" search|strong="H2713" the city|strong="H5892", and to spy it out|strong="H7270", and to overthrow|strong="H2015" it?
4 Wherefore Hanun|strong="H2586" took|strong="H3947" David’s|strong="H1732" servants|strong="H5650", and shaved off|strong="H1548" the one half|strong="H2677" of their beards|strong="H2206", and cut off|strong="H3772" their garments|strong="H4063" in the middle|strong="H2677", even to their buttocks|strong="H8357", and sent them away|strong="H7971".
5 When they told|strong="H5046" it unto David|strong="H1732", he sent|strong="H7971" to meet|strong="H7125" them, because the men|strong="H0582" were greatly|strong="H3966" ashamed|strong="H3637": and the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559", Tarry|strong="H3427" at Jericho|strong="H3405" until your beards|strong="H2206" be grown|strong="H6779", and then return|strong="H7725".
6 And when the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983" saw|strong="H7200" that they stank|strong="H0887" before David|strong="H1732", the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983" sent|strong="H7971" and hired|strong="H7936" the Syrians|strong="H0758" of Beth-rehob|strong="H1050", and the Syrians|strong="H0758" of Zoba|strong="H6678", twenty|strong="H6242" thousand|strong="H0505" footmen|strong="H7273", and of king|strong="H4428" Maacah|strong="H4601" a thousand|strong="H0505" men|strong="H0376", and of Ish-tob|strong="H0382" twelve|strong="H6240" thousand|strong="H0505" men|strong="H0376".
7 And when David|strong="H1732" heard|strong="H8085" of it, he sent|strong="H7971" Joab|strong="H3097", and all the host|strong="H6635" of the mighty men|strong="H1368".
8 And the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983" came out|strong="H3318", and put the battle|strong="H4421" in array|strong="H6186" at the entering in|strong="H6607" of the gate|strong="H8179": and the Syrians|strong="H0758" of Zoba|strong="H6678", and of Rehob|strong="H7340", and Ish-tob|strong="H0382", and Maacah|strong="H4601", were by themselves|strong="H0905" in the field|strong="H7704".
9 When Joab|strong="H3097" saw|strong="H7200" that the front|strong="H6440" of the battle|strong="H4421" was against him before|strong="H6440" and behind|strong="H0268", he chose|strong="H0977" of all the choice|strong="H0977" men of Israel|strong="H3478", and put them in array|strong="H6186" against|strong="H7125" the Syrians|strong="H0758":
10 And the rest|strong="H3499" of the people|strong="H5971" he delivered|strong="H5414" into the hand|strong="H3027" of Abishai|strong="H0052" his brother|strong="H0251", that he might put them in array|strong="H6186" against|strong="H7125" the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983".
11 And he said|strong="H0559", If the Syrians|strong="H0758" be too strong|strong="H2388" for me, then thou shalt help|strong="H3444" me: but if the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983" be too strong|strong="H2388" for thee, then I will come|strong="H1980" and help|strong="H3467" thee.
12 Be of good courage|strong="H2388", and let us play the men|strong="H2388" for our people|strong="H5971", and for the cities|strong="H5892" of our God|strong="H0430": and the \+w LORD|strong="H3068"\+w* do|strong="H6213" that which seemeth|strong="H5869" him good|strong="H2896".
13 And Joab|strong="H3097" drew nigh|strong="H5066", and the people|strong="H5971" that were with him, unto the battle|strong="H4421" against the Syrians|strong="H0758": and they fled|strong="H5127" before|strong="H6440" him.
14 And when the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983" saw|strong="H7200" that the Syrians|strong="H0758" were fled|strong="H5127", then fled|strong="H5127" they also before|strong="H6440" Abishai|strong="H0052", and entered|strong="H0935" into the city|strong="H5892". So Joab|strong="H3097" returned|strong="H7725" from the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983", and came|strong="H0935" to Jerusalem|strong="H3389".
15 And when the Syrians|strong="H0758" saw|strong="H7200" that they were smitten|strong="H5062" before|strong="H6440" Israel|strong="H3478", they gathered|strong="H0622" themselves together|strong="H3162".
16 And Hadarezer|strong="H1928" sent|strong="H7971", and brought out|strong="H3318" the Syrians|strong="H0758" that were beyond|strong="H5676" the river|strong="H5104": and they came|strong="H0935" to Helam|strong="H2431"; and Shobach|strong="H7731" the captain|strong="H8269" of the host|strong="H6635" of Hadarezer|strong="H1928" went before|strong="H6440" them.
17 And when it was told|strong="H5046" David|strong="H1732", he gathered|strong="H0622" all Israel|strong="H3478" together|strong="H0622", and passed over|strong="H5674" Jordan|strong="H3383", and came|strong="H0935" to Helam|strong="H2431". And the Syrians|strong="H0758" set themselves in array|strong="H6186" against|strong="H7125" David|strong="H1732", and fought|strong="H3898" with him.
18 And the Syrians|strong="H0758" fled|strong="H5127" before|strong="H6440" Israel|strong="H3478"; and David|strong="H1732" slew|strong="H2026" the men of seven|strong="H7651" hundred|strong="H3967" chariots|strong="H7393" of the Syrians|strong="H0758", and forty|strong="H0705" thousand|strong="H0505" horsemen|strong="H6571", and smote|strong="H5221" Shobach|strong="H7731" the captain|strong="H8269" of their host|strong="H6635", who died|strong="H4191" there.
19 And when all the kings|strong="H4428" that were servants|strong="H5650" to Hadarezer|strong="H1928" saw|strong="H7200" that they were smitten|strong="H5062" before|strong="H6440" Israel|strong="H3478", they made peace|strong="H7999" with Israel|strong="H3478", and served|strong="H5647" them. So the Syrians|strong="H0758" feared|strong="H3372" to help|strong="H3467" the children|strong="H1121" of Ammon|strong="H5983" any more.