1 Depois disto, morreu Naás, rei dos filhos de Amom; e seu filho reinou em seu lugar. 2 Então, disse Davi: Usarei de bondade para com Hanum, filho de Naás, porque seu pai usou de bondade para comigo. Pelo que Davi enviou mensageiros para o consolar acerca de seu pai; e vieram os servos de Davi à terra dos filhos de Amom, a Hanum, para o consolarem. 3 Disseram os príncipes dos filhos de Amom a Hanum: Pensas que, por te haver Davi mandado consoladores, está honrando a teu pai? Não vieram seus servos a ti para reconhecerem, destruírem e espiarem a terra? 4 Tomou, então, Hanum os servos de Davi, e rapou-os, e lhes cortou metade das vestes até às nádegas, e os despediu. 5 Foram-se alguns e avisaram a Davi acerca destes homens; então, enviou mensageiros a encontrá-los, porque estavam sobremaneira envergonhados. Mandou o rei dizer-lhes: Deixai-vos estar em Jericó, até que vos torne a crescer a barba; e, então, vinde.

6 Vendo, pois, os filhos de Amom que se haviam tornado odiosos a Davi, então, Hanum e os filhos de Amom tomaram mil talentos de prata, para alugarem para si carros e cavaleiros da Mesopotâmia, e dos siros de Maaca, e de Zoba. 7 Alugaram para si trinta e dois mil carros, o rei de Maaca e a sua gente, e eles vieram e se acamparam diante de Medeba; também os filhos de Amom se ajuntaram das suas cidades e vieram para a guerra. 8 O que ouvindo Davi, enviou contra eles a Joabe com todo o exército dos valentes. 9 Saíram os filhos de Amom e ordenaram a batalha à entrada da porta da cidade; porém os reis que vieram estavam à parte, no campo.

10 Vendo, pois, Joabe que estava preparada contra ele a batalha, tanto pela frente como pela retaguarda, escolheu dentre todos o que havia de melhor em Israel e os formou em linha contra os siros; 11 e o resto do povo entregou a Abisai, seu irmão, e puseram-se em linha contra os filhos de Amom. 12 Disse Joabe: Se os siros forem mais fortes do que eu, tu me virás em socorro; e, se os filhos de Amom forem mais fortes do que tu, eu irei ao teu socorro. 13 Sê forte, pois; pelejemos varonilmente pelo nosso povo e pelas cidades de nosso Deus; e faça o Senhor o que bem lhe parecer. 14 Então, avançou Joabe com o povo que estava com ele, e travaram peleja contra os siros; e estes fugiram de diante dele. 15 Vendo os filhos de Amom que os siros fugiam, também eles fugiram de diante de Abisai, irmão de Joabe, e entraram na cidade; voltou Joabe dos filhos de Amom e tornou a Jerusalém.

16 Vendo, pois, os siros que tinham sido desbaratados diante de Israel, enviaram mensageiros e fizeram sair os siros que habitavam do lado dalém do rio; Sofaque, capitão do exército de Hadadezer, marchava adiante deles. 17 Informado Davi, ajuntou a todo o Israel, passou o Jordão, veio ter com eles e ordenou contra eles a batalha; e, tendo Davi ordenado a batalha contra os siros, pelejaram estes contra ele. 18 Porém os siros fugiram de diante de Israel, e Davi matou dentre os siros os homens de sete mil carros e quarenta mil homens de pé; a Sofaque, chefe do exército, matou. 19 Vendo, pois, os servos de Hadadezer que foram feridos diante de Israel, fizeram paz com Davi e o serviram; e os siros nunca mais quiseram socorrer aos filhos de Amom.

1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.

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. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.

3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Think you that David does honor your father, that he has sent comforters to you? are not his servants come to you for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?

4 Why Hanun took David' servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.

5 Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah.

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

8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

9 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.

10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

11 And the rest of the people he delivered to the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then you shall help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for you, then I will help you.

13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.

14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew near before the Syrians to the battle; and they fled before him.

15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came on them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.

18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.

19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.