1 Algum tempo depois, Naás, rei dos amonitas, morreu, e seu filho foi o seu sucessor.2 Davi pensou: "Serei bondoso com Hanum, filho de Naás, porque seu pai foi bondoso comigo". Então Davi enviou uma delegação para transmitir a Hanum seu pesar pela morte do pai. Mas, quando os mensageiros de Davi chegaram à terra dos amonitas para expressar condolências a Hanum,3 os líderes amonitas lhe disseram: "Achas que Davi está honrando teu pai ao enviar mensageiros para expressar condolências? Não é nada disso! Davi os enviou como espiões para examinar o país e destruí-lo".4 Então Hanum prendeu os mensageiros de Davi, rapou-lhes a barba, cortou metade de suas roupas até as nádegas, e os mandou embora.5 Quando Davi soube disso, enviou mensageiros ao encontro deles, pois haviam sido profundamente humilhados, e lhes mandou dizer: "Fiquem em Jericó até que a barba cresça, e então voltem para casa".6 Vendo Hanum e os amonitas que tinham atraído sobre si o ódio de Davi, alugaram da Mesopotâmia, de Arã Maaca e de Zobá, carros de guerra e condutores de carros, por trinta e cinco toneladas de prata.7 Alugaram trinta e dois mil carros e seus condutores, e contrataram o rei de Maaca com suas tropas, o qual veio e acampou perto de Medeba, e os amonitas foram convocados de suas cidades e partiram para a batalha.8 Ao saber disso, Davi ordenou a Joabe que marchasse com todo o exército.9 Os amonitas saíram e se puseram em posição de combate na entrada da cidade, e os reis que tinham vindo posicionaram-se 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 de seu irmão Abisai e os posicionou contra os amonitas.12 E Joabe disse a Abisai: "Se os arameus forem fortes demais para mim, venha me ajudar; mas, se 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. E que o Senhor faça o que for de sua vontade".14 Então Joabe e seus soldados avançaram contra os arameus, que fugiram dele.15 Quando os amonitas viram que os arameus estavam fugindo de Joabe, também fugiram de seu irmão Abisai e entraram na cidade. Assim, Joabe voltou para Jerusalém.16 Ao perceberem os arameus 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. Mas, começado o combate,18 eles 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 a paz com Davi e se sujeitaram a ele. E os arameus não quiseram mais ajudar os amonitas.

1 And it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the sons 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. So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon3 But the rulers of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, Do thou think that David honors thy father, in that he has sent comforters to thee? Have not his servants come to thee to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?4 So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.5 And they came and informed David about the men. And he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Remain at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.6 And when the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the sons of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Arammaacah, and out o7 So they hired for them thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. And the sons 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 army of the mighty men.9 And the sons of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the gate of the city. And the kings that came were by themselves in the field.10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind, he chose from all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.11 And the rest of the company he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother, and they put themselves in array against the sons of Ammon.12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.13 Be of good courage, and let us act the man for our people, and for the cities of our God. And LORD do that which seems good to him.14 So Joab and the company that were with him drew near before the Syrians to the battle, and they fled before him.15 And when the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians had 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, with Shophach the captain of the army of Hadarezer at their head.17 And it was told David. And he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the 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 h18 And the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed of the Syrians [the men of] seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the army.19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and served him, neither would the Syrians help the sons of Ammon any more.