¹ And it happened after this, Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon died. And his son reigned in his place.

² And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon to Hanun, in order to comfort him.

³ But the rulers of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, Is David honoring your father in your eyes, because he has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?

⁴ And Hanun took David's servants and shaved them, and cut off their garments in half, to the buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵ And some came and told David how the men were treated. And he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Stay at Jericho until your beards are grown, and then return.

⁶ And the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves stink before David, and Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia and out of Maachah of Syria, and out of Zobah.

⁷ And they hired thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people, who came and pitched before Medeba. And the Ammonites gathered themselves from their cities and came to battle.

⁸ And David heard, and he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.

⁹ And the sons of Ammon came out and put the battle in order before the gate of the city. And the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

¹⁰ And Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, and he chose out of all the choice young men of Israel and set in order against the Syrians.

¹¹ And he delivered the rest of the people into the hand of his brother Abishai. And they set in order against the sons of Ammon.

¹² And he said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me. But if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.

¹³ Be of good courage and let us behave ourselves bravely for our people, and for the cities of our God. And let the LORD do what is good in His sight.

¹⁴ And Joab and the people with him drew near before the Syrians to the battle. And they fled before him.

¹⁵ And when the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they also fled before his brother Abishai. And they entered into the city. And Joab came to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ And the Syrians saw that they were beaten before Israel, and sent messengers and drew forth the Syrians who were beyond the river. And Shophach the captain of the army of Hadarezer went before them.

¹⁷ And it was told to David. And he gathered all Israel and passed over Jordan and came on them. And he set in order against them. And David set in order against the Syrians, and they fought with him.

¹⁸ But the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed seven thousand of the Syrians in chariots, and forty thousand footmen; and he killed Shophach the commander of the army.

¹⁹ And the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were beaten before Israel, and they made peace with David and became his servants. And Syria was not willing to help the sons of Ammon any more.