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.

1 En daarna het die koning van die kinders van Ammon gesterwe, en sy seun Hanun het in sy plek koning geword.

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

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

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

5 En toe hulle aan Dawid hiervan berig bring, stuur hy om hulle tegemoet te gaan, want die manne was baie skaam. En die koning het gesê: Bly in J,rigo totdat julle baard weer gegroei het; kom dan terug.

6 Toe die kinders van Ammon sien dat hulle hul gehaat gemaak het by Dawid, het die kinders van Ammon gestuur en die Arameërs van Bet-Rehob en die Arameërs van Soba gehuur, twintig duisend voetgangers, en van die koning van M äga, duisend man, en die manne van Tob, twaalf duisend man.

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

8 En die kinders van Ammon het uitgetrek en die slagorde opgestel by die ingang van die poort, terwyl die Arameërs van Soba en Rehob en die manne van Tob en M äga afsonderlik in die veld was.

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

10 Maar die ander manskappe het hy onder bevel van sy broer Ab¡sai geplaas en die het hulle opgestel teenoor die kinders van Ammon.

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

12 Wees sterk en laat ons ons sterk hou vir ons volk en vir die stede van onse God. Mag die HERE dan doen wat goed is in sy oë!

13 Daarop het Joab en die manskappe wat by hom was, nader gekom om teen die Arameërs te veg, en hulle het vir hom gevlug.

14 Toe die kinders van Ammon sien dat die Arameërs vlug, het hulle ook vir Ab¡sai gevlug en die stad ingegaan. En Joab het van die kinders van Ammon af omgedraai en in Jerusalem aangekom.

15 Toe die Arameërs dan sien dat hulle voor Israel verslaan was, het hulle dig aaneengesluit.

16 Ja, Hadar,ser het gestuur en die Arameërs van oorkant die Eufraat laat uittrek, en hulle het in Helam aangekom, met Sobag, die leërowerste van Hadar,ser, op hulle voorpunt.

17 Intussen het Dawid daarvan berig gekry en die hele Israel versamel en deur die Jordaan getrek en in Helam aangekom; en die Arameërs het hulle teenoor Dawid opgestel en teen hom geveg.

18 Maar die Arameërs het vir Israel gevlug, en Dawid het van die Arameërs sewe honderd trekperde en veertig duisend ruiters gedood, en Sobag, die leërowerste, so gewond, dat hy daar gesterf het.

19 En toe al die onderhorige konings van Hadar,ser sien dat hulle voor Israel verslaan was, het hulle met Israel vrede gesluit en hulle gedien; en die Arameërs was bevrees om die kinders van Ammon langer te help.