1 Chronicles 19

1After this Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son became king in his place.

2David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. When David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to console him,

3the Ammonite officials said to Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending comforters to you? Have his servants not come to you to search, to overthrow, and to spy out the land?”

4So Hanun seized David’s servants, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle as far as their buttocks, and sent them away.

5When David was told about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown, and then come back.”

6When the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves offensive to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, from Aram-maacah, and from Zobah.

7They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and camped before Medeba. The Ammonites also gathered from their towns and came out to battle.

8When David heard about it, he sent Joab and the whole army of mighty warriors.

9The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

10When Joab saw that there were battle lines against him both in front and behind, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.

11He put the rest of the troops under the command of his brother Abishai, and they arrayed themselves against the Ammonites.

12Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you.

13Be strong, and let us show ourselves strong for the sake of our people and the cities of our God. May Yahweh do what seems good to him.”

14So Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him.

15When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

16When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

17When David was told, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, came to them, and drew up in formation against them. David arrayed his forces for battle against the Arameans, and they fought with him.

18But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of the Aramean charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also put to death Shophach the commander of the army.

19When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.