2 Samuel 10

Revised Geneva Translation

10 After this, the king of the children of Ammon died. And Hanun, his son, reigned in his place.

² Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun, the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” And David sent his servants to comfort him for his father. So, David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

³ And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, their lord, “Do you think that David honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?”

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

⁵ When it was told to David, he sent to meet them (for the men were exceedingly ashamed) and the king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown, then return.”

⁶ And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank in the sight of David, the children of Ammon sent and hired twenty thousand Aramite footmen from the House of Rehob, and the Aramites from Zoba, and a thousand men from King Maacah, and twelve thousand men from Ish-Tob.

⁷ And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the strong men.

⁸ And the children of Ammon came out and put their army in formation at the entrance of the gate. And the Aramites from Zoba and from Rehob and from Ish-Tob and from Maacah were by themselves in the field.

⁹ When Joab saw that the fronts of the battle were against him both in front and in the rear, he chose from all the choice of Israel and put them in formation against the Aramites.

¹⁰ And he delivered the rest of the people into the hand of Abishai, his brother, so that he might put them in formation against the children of Ammon.

¹¹ And he said, “If the Aramites are stronger than me, you shall help me. And if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, I will come and help you.

¹² “Be strong! And let us be valiant for our people and for the cities of our God! And let the LORD do that which is good in His Eyes.”

¹³ Then Joab and the people who were with him joined in battle with the Aramites, who fled before him.

¹⁴ And when the children of Ammon saw that the Aramites fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered into the city. So, Joab returned from the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ And when the Aramites saw that they were stricken before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

¹⁶ And Hadarezer sent and brought out the Aramites who were beyond the river. And they came to Helam. And Shobach, the captain of the army of Hadadezer, went before them.

¹⁷ When it was told to David, they gathered all Israel together and passed over Jordan and came to Helam. And the Aramites set themselves in formation against David and fought with him.

¹⁸ And the Aramites fled before Israel. And David destroyed seven hundred chariots of the Aramites, and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach, the captain of his army, who died there.

¹⁹ And when all the kings serving Hadadezer saw that they fell before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. And the Aramites were afraid to help the children of Ammon anymore.