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?* 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.* 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 unto 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 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.** 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 Algum tempo depois, Naás, rei dos amonitas, morreu, e o seu filho sucedeu‑o como rei. 2 Davi pensou: "Serei bondoso com Hanum, filho de Naás, porque o pai dele foi bondoso comigo". Então, Davi enviou uma delegação para expressar condolências a Hanum pela morte do seu pai.

Quando os servos de Davi chegaram à terra dos amonitas para expressar condolências a Hanum, 3 os líderes amonitas lhe disseram:

― Achas mesmo que Davi está honrando o teu pai ao enviar mensageiros para expressar condolências? Não percebes que Davi te enviou estes servos como espias para examinarem a terra e destruí‑la?

4 Então, Hanum prendeu os mensageiros de Davi, rapou‑lhes a barba, cortou metade das roupas deles até as nádegas e os mandou embora.

5 Quando Davi soube disso, enviou mensageiros ao encontro deles, pois haviam sido profundamente humilhados, e mandou dizer‑lhes: "Fiquem em Jericó até que a barba cresça e retornem em seguida".

6 Vendo Hanum e os amonitas que tinham atraído sobre si o ódio de* Davi, alugaram de Arã Naaraim,* de Arã Maaca e de Zobá, carros de guerra e condutores de carros, por mil talentos* de prata. 7 Alugaram trinta e dois mil carros de guerra e os seus condutores, contrataram o rei de Maaca com as suas tropas, o qual veio e acampou perto de Medeba, e os amonitas foram convocados das suas cidades e partiram para a batalha.

8 Ao saber disso, Davi ordenou a Joabe que marchasse com todo o seu poderoso exército. 9 Os amonitas saíram e se puseram em posição de combate à entrada da cidade, e os reis que tinham vindo se posicionaram, à parte, em campo aberto.

10 Vendo Joabe que estava cercado pelas linhas de combate, escolheu alguns dos melhores soldados de Israel e os posicionou contra os arameus. 11 Pôs o restante dos homens sob o comando do seu irmão Abisai e os posicionou contra os amonitas. 12 Joabe disse a Abisai:

― Se os arameus forem fortes demais para mim, venha me ajudar; se, porém, os amonitas forem fortes demais para você, eu irei ajudá‑lo. 13 Seja forte, e lutemos com bravura pelo nosso povo e pelas cidades do nosso Deus. Que o Senhor faça o que for bom aos olhos dele.

14 Então, Joabe e os seus soldados avançaram contra os arameus, que fugiram dele. 15 Quando os amonitas viram que os arameus estavam fugindo de Joabe, também fugiram do seu irmão, Abisai, e entraram na cidade. Assim, Joabe voltou para Jerusalém.

16 Quando os arameus viram que haviam sido derrotados por Israel, enviaram mensageiros para trazer arameus que viviam do outro lado do Eufrates,* e Sofaque, o comandante do exército de Hadadezer, veio à frente deles.

17 Informado disso, Davi reuniu todo o Israel e atravessou o Jordão; avançou contra eles e formou linhas de combate defronte deles. Assim que Davi formou as linhas de combate para enfrentar os arameus, estes travaram batalha contra ele, 18 mas fugiram de diante de Israel, e Davi matou sete mil dos seus condutores de carros de guerra e quarenta mil dos seus soldados de infantaria. Também matou Sofaque, o comandante do exército deles.

19 Quando os vassalos de Hadadezer viram que tinham sido derrotados por Israel, fizeram as pazes com Davi e se sujeitaram a ele. A partir de então, os arameus nunca mais quiseram ajudar os amonitas.