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time later Nahash the king of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him as king. 2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father.
However, when David’s men came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to console him, 3 the Ammonite officials said to Hanun, “Do you think that David is honouring your father because he has sent men with condolences for you? Haven’t his men actually come to you to explore and spy out and overthrow the land?” 4 So Hanun seized David’s men, shaved them, and cut off their garments up to the middle of the buttocks, and sent them away.
5 Someone went and told David about how the men were treated, so he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, and then return.”
6 When the Ammonites realised that they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah. 7 They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mobilized from their cities and also came for the battle.
8 When David heard of it, he sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. 9 The Ammonites came out and lined up in battle formation at the entrance of the city, while the kings who had come took up their battle positions separately out in the open country.
10 When Joab saw that the battle lines were set against him in front of him and behind him, he chose some of the best troops in Israel and set them in battle array against the Arameans. 11 The rest of the men he placed under the command of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in battle array against the Ammonites. 12 Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you come to my aid; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your aid. 13 Be strong, and let us fight courageously for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord do what is good in His sight.”
14 Then Joab and troops with him advanced against the Arameans for battle, but they fled before him. 15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they likewise fled before Joab’s brother and entered the city. Then Joab went to Jerusalem.
16 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and had other Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.
17 When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel together and crossed over the Jordan. He came up to them and formed up his battle lines against them. David lined up his troops to engage the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of the foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army.
19 When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David, and became subject to him. After this, the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.