I Chronicles 19

¹After this also Nahash the King of the children of Ammon dyed, and his sonne reigned in his stead.

²And Dauid said, I will shew kindnesse vnto Hanun the sonne of Nahash, because his father shewed kindnesse vnto me. And Dauid sent messengers to comfort him for his father. So the seruants of Dauid came into the lande of the children of Ammon to Hanun to comfort him.

³And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that Dauid doeth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters vnto thee? Are not his seruants come to thee to search, to seeke and to spie out the land?

⁴Wherefore Hanun tooke Dauids seruants, and shaued them, and cut off their garments by the halfe vnto the buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵And there went certaine and tolde Dauid concerning the men: and he sent to meete them (for the men were exceedingly ashamed) and the King saide, Tarie at Iericho, vntill your beardes be growen: then returne.

⁶When the children of Ammon saw that they stanke in the sight of Dauid, then sent Hanun and the children of Ammon a thousande talents of siluer to hire them charets and horsemen out of Aram Naharaim and out of Aram Maachah, and out of Zobah.

⁷And they hired them two and thirty thousande charets, and the King of Maachah and his people, which came and pitched before Medeba: and the children of Ammon gathered themselues together from their cities, and came to the battell.

⁸And when Dauid heard, he sent Ioab and all the hoste of the valiant men.

⁹And the children of Ammon came out, and set their battell in aray at the gate of the citie. And the Kings that were come, were by them selues in the fielde.

¹⁰When Ioab saw that the front of the battel was against him before and behinde, then he chose out of all the choyse of Israel, and set him selfe in aray to meete the Aramites.

¹¹And the rest of the people he deliuered vnto the hande of Abishai his brother, and they put them selues in aray against the children of Ammon.

¹²And he saide, If Aram be too strong for me, then thou shalt succour me: and if the children of Ammon preuaile against thee, then I wil succour thee.

¹³Be strong, and let vs shewe our selues valiant for our people, and for the cities of our God, and let the Lord doe that which is good in his owne sight.

¹⁴So Ioab and the people that was with him, came neere before the Aramites vnto the battel, and they fled before him.

¹⁵And when the children of Ammon sawe that the Aramites fled, they fled also before Abishai his brother, and entred into the citie: so Ioab came to Ierusalem.

¹⁶And when the Aramites sawe that they were discomfited before Israel, they sent messengers and caused the Aramites to come forth that were beyond the riuer: and Shophach the captaine of the hoste of Hadarezer went before them.

¹⁷And when it was shewed Dauid, he gathered all Israel, and went ouer Iorden, and came vnto them, and put him selfe in aray against them: And when Dauid had put him selfe in battel aray to meete the Aramites, they fought with him.

¹⁸But the Aramites fled before Israel, and Dauid destroyed of the Aramites seuen thousand charets, and fourtie thousand footemen, and killed Shophach the captaine of the hoste.

¹⁹And when the seruants of Hadarezer sawe that they fell before Israel, they made peace with Dauid, and serued him. And the Aramites would no more succour the children of Ammon.

I Chronicles 19

¹Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.

²And 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.

³But 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?

⁴Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵Then 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.

⁶And 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.

⁷So 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.

⁸And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

⁹And 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.

¹⁰Now 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.

¹¹And 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.

¹²And 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.

¹³Be 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.

¹⁴So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.

¹⁵And 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.

¹⁶And 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.

¹⁷And 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.

¹⁸But 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.

¹⁹And 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.