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 shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed 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, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?*19.3 Thinkest…: Heb. In thine eyes doth David, etc 4 Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst 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 Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.*19.6 odious: Heb. to stink 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.*19.10 the battle…: Heb. the face of the battle was*19.10 choice: or, young men 11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.*19.11 Abishai: Heb. Abshai 12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee. 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 nigh before the Syrians unto 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.*19.16 river: that is, Euphrates*19.16 Shophach: also called, Shobach 17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon 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.

1 DAARNA het Nahas, die koning van die kinders van Ammon, gesterwe, en sy seun het in sy plek koning geword.

2 Toe sê Dawid: Ek wil guns bewys aan Hanun, die seun van Nahas, want sy vader het aan my guns bewys. Daarom het Dawid boodskappers gestuur om hom te troos oor sy vader. Toe dan die dienaars van Dawid in die land van die kinders van Ammon by Hanun aankom om hom te troos,

3 het die vorste van die kinders van Ammon vir Hanun gesê: Eer Dawid u vader in u oë, omdat hy vir u troosters gestuur het? Het sy dienaars nie na u gekom om die land te deursoek en dit om te keer en te verken nie?

4 Daarop neem Hanun die dienaars van Dawid en skeer hulle en sny hulle klere in die helfte af tot by die sitplek, en hy het hulle laat gaan.

5 En toe hulle heengegaan het en van Dawid aangaande die manne berig gebring is, stuur hy bodes om hulle te ontmoet, want die manne was baie skaam; en die koning het gesê: Bly in Jérigo totdat julle baard weer gegroei het; kom dan terug.

6 Toe die kinders van Ammon sien dat hulle hul by Dawid gehaat gemaak het, het Hanun en die kinders van Ammon duisend talente silwer gestuur om vir hulle strydwaens en perderuiters uit Mesopotámië en uit Aram-Máäga en uit Soba te huur.

7 En hulle het vir hulle twee-en-dertigduisend waens gehuur, en die koning van Máäga met sy manskappe; en hulle het gekom en voor Medéba laer opgeslaan; ook die kinders van Ammon het saamgekom uit hulle stede om oorlog te voer.

8 En Dawid het dit gehoor en Joab met die hele leër, die helde, gestuur.

9 En die kinders van Ammon het uitgetrek en hulle in slagorde opgestel by die ingang van die stad, terwyl die konings wat gekom het, afsonderlik in die veld was.

10 Toe Joab sien dat 'n aanval van voor sowel as van agter hom bedreig, het hy uit al die uitgesoektes in Israel uitgekies en hulle teenoor die Arameërs opgestel.

11 Maar die orige manskappe het hy onder bevel van sy broer Abísai gegee, en hulle het hul teenoor die kinders van Ammon opgestel.

12 En hy het gesê: As die Arameërs vir my te sterk word, dan moet jy my te hulp kom, en as die kinders van Ammon vir jou te sterk word, sal ek jou te hulp kom.

13 Wees sterk en laat ons saam moedig wees vir ons volk en vir die stede van onse God. Mag die Here dan doen wat goed is in sy oë!

14 Daarop het Joab en die manskappe wat by hom was, nader gekom vir die geveg voor die Arameërs, en hulle het vir hom gevlug.

15 Toe die kinders van Ammon sien dat die Arameërs vlug, het hulle ook vir sy broer Abísai gevlug en die stad ingegaan. En Joab het in Jerusalem aangekom.

16 Toe die Arameërs dan sien dat hulle voor Israel verslaan was, het hulle boodskappers gestuur en die Arameërs laat uittrek wat oorkant die Eufraat was, met Sofag, die leërowerste van Hadaréser, op hulle voorpunt.

17 Intussen het Dawid daarvan berig ontvang en die hele Israel versamel en deur die Jordaan getrek. Toe hy by hulle aangekom het, het hy hom teen hulle opgestel; en nadat Dawid hom teenoor die Arameërs opgestel het, het hulle teen hom geveg.

18 Maar die Arameërs het vir Israel gevlug, en Dawid het van die Arameërs seweduisend trekperde en veertigduisend man voetgangers gedood; ook Sofag, die leërowerste, het hy gedood.

19 En toe die dienaars van Hadaréser sien dat hulle voor Israel verslaan was, het hulle met Dawid vrede gesluit en hom gedien; en die Arameërs wou die kinders van Ammon nie verder help nie.