1 Chronicles 19

Revised Geneva Translation

19 Also after this, Nahash, the king of the children 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 for his father. So, the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon, to Hanun, to comfort him.

³ And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, “Did you think that David honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you to search, to seek and to spy out the land?”

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

⁵ And some went and told David about the men. And he sent to meet them (for the men were very ashamed). And the king said, “Remain in Jericho until your beards have grown. Then return.”

⁶ When the children of Ammon saw that they stank in the sight of David, they sent Hanun and the children of Ammon a thousand talents of silver, to hire chariots and horsemen for themselves out of Aram Naharaim, and out of Aram Maacah, and out of Zobah.

⁷ And they hired thirty-two thousand chariots for themselves and the king of Maacah and his people, who had come and camped before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to the battle.

⁸ And when David heard it, he sent Joab and the whole army of the valiant men.

⁹ And the children of Ammon came out and set themselves in battle formation at the gate of the city. And the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

¹⁰ When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him, in front and behind, he chose from all the choice of Israel and set himself in formation to meet the Aramites.

¹¹ And he delivered the rest of the people into the hand of Abishai, his brother. And they put themselves in formation against the children of Ammon.

¹² And he said, “If Aram is too strong for me, then you shall help me. And if the children of Ammon prevail against you, then I will help you.

¹³ “Be strong! And let us show ourselves valiant for our people, and for the cities of our God! And let the LORD do that which is good in His own sight.”

¹⁴ So Joab and the people who were with him came near the Aramites, to do battle. And they fled before him.

¹⁵ And when the children of Ammon saw that the Aramites fled, they also fled before Abishai, his brother, and entered into the city. So, Joab came to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ And when the Aramites saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and caused the Aramites who were beyond the river to come forth. And Shophach, the captain of the army of Hadadezer, went before them.

¹⁷ And when it was told to David, he gathered all Israel and went over Jordan and came to them and put himself in formation against them. And when David had put himself in battle formation to meet the Aramites, they fought with him.

¹⁸ But the Aramites fled before Israel. And David destroyed seven thousand chariots and forty thousand footmen of the Aramites and killed Shophach, the captain of the army.

¹⁹ And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they fell before Israel, they made peace with David, and served him. And the Aramites would no longer help the children of Ammon.