1 Algum tempo depois, morreu Naás, rei dos amonitas, e seu filho Hanum subiu ao trono. 2 Davi disse: "Vou demonstrar lealdade a Hanum, assim como seu pai, Naás, sempre foi leal a mim". Então Davi enviou representantes para expressar seu pesar a Hanum pela morte do pai dele.

Mas, quando os representantes de Davi chegaram à terra de Amom, 3 os líderes amonitas disseram a Hanum, seu senhor: "O rei acredita mesmo que esses homens estão aqui para honrar seu pai? Não! Davi os enviou com o objetivo de espionar a cidade para vir e conquistá-la!". 4 Então Hanum prendeu os representantes de Davi e raspou metade da barba de cada um, cortou metade de suas roupas até as nádegas e os expulsou de sua terra.

5 Quando Davi soube o que havia acontecido, enviou mensageiros ao encontro dos homens, para que lhes dissessem: "Fiquem em Jericó até que sua barba tenha crescido e voltem em seguida", pois estavam muito envergonhados.

6 Quando os amonitas perceberam quanto haviam enfurecido Davi, contrataram vinte mil soldados de infantaria dos sírios das terras de Bete-Reobe e Zobá, mil homens do rei de Maaca e doze mil da terra de Tobe. 7 Davi foi informado disso e enviou Joabe e todos os seus guerreiros para lutarem contra eles. 8 As tropas amonitas avançaram e formaram sua frente de batalha à entrada da cidade, enquanto os sírios de Zobá e Reobe e os homens de Tobe e Maaca se posicionaram para lutar nos campos abertos.

9 Joabe viu que teria de lutar em duas frentes ao mesmo tempo, por isso escolheu alguns dos melhores guerreiros de Israel e os pôs sob seu comando pessoal para enfrentar os sírios. 10 Deixou o restante do exército sob o comando de seu irmão Abisai, que atacou os amonitas. 11 Joabe disse a seu irmão: "Se os sírios forem fortes demais para mim, venha me ajudar. E, se os amonitas forem fortes demais para você, eu irei ajudá-lo. 12 Coragem! Lutemos bravamente por nosso povo e pelas cidades de nosso Deus. E que seja feita a vontade do Senhor!".

13 Joabe e suas tropas atacaram, e os sírios começaram a fugir. 14 Quando os amonitas viram que os sírios batiam em retirada, também fugiram de Abisai e recuaram para dentro da cidade. Terminada a batalha, Joabe voltou para Jerusalém.

15 Os sírios viram que não tinham como enfrentar Israel. Assim, ao se reagrupar, 16 receberam o reforço de soldados sírios convocados por Hadadezer do outro lado do rio Eufrates. Essas tropas chegaram a Helã conduzidas por Sobaque, comandante das forças de Hadadezer.

17 Quando Davi foi informado do que estava acontecendo, reuniu todo o Israel, atravessou o Jordão e levou o exército até Helã. Os sírios se posicionaram para a batalha e lutaram contra Davi. 18 Mais uma vez, porém, os sírios fugiram dos israelitas. O exército de Davi matou setecentos homens em carros de guerra e quarenta mil soldados de infantaria, incluindo Sobaque, comandante de seu exército. 19 Quando todos os reis aliados a Hadadezer viram que ele havia sido derrotado pelos israelitas, renderam-se a Israel e se tornaram súditos de Davi. Depois disso, os sírios tiveram medo de voltar a ajudar os amonitas.

1 After this, the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2 David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?"

4 So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 When they told David this, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, "Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return."

6 When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob twelve thousand men. 7 When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. 8 The children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field. 9 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians. 10 The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and he put them in array against the children of Ammon. 11 He said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12 Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God; and may Yahweh do what seems good to him." 13 So Joab and the people who were with him came near to the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 14 When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

15 When the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River; and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head. 17 David was told that; and he gathered all Israel together, passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Syrians set themselves in array against David and fought with him. 18 The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, so that he died there. 19 When all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.