1 Chronicles 19

David’s Messengers Abused

11Now it cameH1961 about afterH310 thisH3651, that NahashH5176 the kingH4428 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 diedH4191, and his sonH1121 becameH4427 kingH4427 in his placeH8478. 2Then DavidH1732 saidH559, “I will showH6213 kindnessH2617 to HanunH2586 the sonH1121 of NahashH5176, becauseH3588 his fatherH1 showedH6213 kindnessH2617 to me.” So DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 to consoleH5162 him concerningH5921 his fatherH1. And David’sH1732 servantsH5650 cameH935 into the landH776 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 to HanunH2586 to consoleH5162 him. 3But the princesH8269 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 saidH559 to HanunH2586, “2Do you thinkH5869 that DavidH1732 is honoringH3513 your fatherH1, in that he has sentH7971 comfortersH5162 to you? Have not his servantsH5650 comeH935 to you to searchH2713 and to overthrowH2015 and to spyH7270 out the landH776?” 4So HanunH2586 tookH3947 David’sH1732 servantsH5650 and shavedH1548 them and cutH3772 offH3772 their garmentsH4063 in the middleH2677 as farH5704 as their hipsH4667, and sentH7971 them awayH7971. 5Then certain persons wentH1980 and toldH5046 DavidH1732 aboutH5921 the menH376. And he sentH7971 to meetH7122 them, for the menH376 were greatlyH3966 humiliatedH3637. And the kingH4428 saidH559, “3StayH3427 at JerichoH3405 untilH5704H834 your beardsH2206 growH6779, and then returnH7725.”

6When the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 sawH7200 that they had madeH887 themselves odiousH887 to DavidH1732, HanunH2586 and the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 sentH7971 1,000H505 talentsH3603 of silverH3701 to hireH7936 for themselves chariotsH7393 and horsemenH6571 from MesopotamiaH763, from Aram-maacahH758H4601 and 4from ZobahH6678. 7So they hiredH7936 for themselves 32,000H8147H7970H505 chariotsH7393, and the kingH4428 of MaacahH4601 and his peopleH5971, who cameH935 and campedH2583 beforeH6440 5MedebaH4311. And the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 gatheredH622 together from their citiesH5892 and cameH935 to battleH4421. 8When DavidH1732 heardH8085 of it, he sentH7971 JoabH3097 and allH3605 the armyH6635, the mightyH1368 menH1368. 9The sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 cameH3318 out and drewH6186 up in battleH4421 array at the entranceH6607 of the cityH5892, and the kingsH4428 whoH834 had comeH935 were by themselvesH905 in the fieldH7704.

Ammon and Aram Defeated

10Now when JoabH3097 sawH7200 that the 6battleH4421 was set againstH413 him in frontH6440 and in the rearH268, he selectedH977 from allH3605 the choiceH970 men of IsraelH3478 and they arrayedH6186 themselves againstH7122 the ArameansH758. 11But the remainderH3499 of the peopleH5971 he placedH5414 in the handH3027 of 7AbshaiH52 his brotherH251; and they arrayedH6186 themselves againstH7122 the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983. 12He saidH559, “IfH518 the ArameansH758 are tooH4480 strongH2388 for me, then you shall helpH1961H8668 me; but ifH518 the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 are tooH4480 strongH2388 for you, then I will helpH3467 you. 13Be strongH2388, and let us showH2388 ourselves courageousH2388 for the sakeH1157 of our peopleH5971 and for the citiesH5892 of our GodH430; and may the LordH3068 doH6213 whatH2896 is goodH2896 in His sightH5869.” 14So JoabH3097 and the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him drewH5066 nearH5066 to the battleH4421 againstH6440 the ArameansH758, and they fledH5127 beforeH4480H6440 him. 15When the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 sawH7200 that the ArameansH758 fledH5127, they alsoH1571 fledH5127 beforeH4480H6440 AbshaiH52 his brotherH251 and enteredH935 the cityH5892. Then JoabH3097 cameH935 to JerusalemH3389.

16When the ArameansH758 sawH7200 that they had been 8defeatedH5062 by IsraelH3478, they sentH7971 messengersH4397 and broughtH3318 out the ArameansH758 whoH834 were beyondH4480H5676 the 9RiverH5104, with ShophachH7780 the commanderH8269 of the armyH6635 of HadadezerH1909 10leadingH6440 them. 17When it was toldH5046 DavidH1732, he gatheredH622 allH3605 IsraelH3478 together and crossedH5674 the JordanH3383, and cameH935 upon them and drewH6186 up in formationH6186 againstH413 them. And when DavidH1732 drewH6186 up in battleH4421 array againstH7122 the ArameansH758, they foughtH3898 againstH5973 him. 18The ArameansH758 fledH5127 beforeH4480H6440 IsraelH3478, and DavidH1732 killedH2026 of the ArameansH758 7,000H7651H505 charioteersH7393 and 40,000H705H505 footH7273 soldiersH376H7273, and putH4191 to deathH4191 ShophachH7780 the commanderH8269 of the armyH6635. 19So when the servantsH5650 of HadadezerH1909 sawH7200 that they were 11defeatedH5062 by IsraelH3478, they madeH7999 peaceH7999 with DavidH1732 and servedH5647 him. Thus the ArameansH758 were not willingH14 to helpH3467 the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 anymoreH5750.