1 Chronicles 19

David’s Messengers Abused

11Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961 afterH310 thisH3651, that NahashH5176 the kingH4428 of the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 diedH4191, and his sonH1121 becameH4427 kingH4427 inH8478 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 commandersH8269 among 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 his servantsH5650 not comeH935 to you to searchH2713, to demolishH2015, and to spyH7270 outH7270 the landH776?” 4So HanunH2586 tookH3947 David’sH1732 servantsH5650 and shavedH1548 them, and cutH3772 offH3772 their robesH4063 in the middleH2677 as farH5704 as their buttocksH4667, and sentH7971 them awayH7971. 5Then certain people wentH1980 and toldH5046 DavidH1732 aboutH5921 the menH376. And he sentH7971 messengers to meetH7122 them, becauseH3588 the menH376 were veryH3966 humiliatedH3637. And the kingH4428 saidH559, “StayH3427 at JerichoH3405 untilH5704H834 your beardsH2206 growH6779 back, then returnH7725.”

6When the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 sawH7200 that they had madeH887 themselves repulsiveH887 to DavidH1732, HanunH2586 and the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 sentH7971 3a thousandH505 talentsH3603 of silverH3701 to hireH7936 for themselves chariotsH7393 and horsemenH6571 from MesopotamiaH763, Aram-maacahH758H4601, and 4ZobahH6678. 7So they hiredH7936 for themselves thirty-twoH8147H7970 thousandH505 chariotsH7393, and the kingH4428 of MaacahH4601 and his peopleH5971, who cameH935 and campedH2583 oppositeH6440 5MedebaH4311. And the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 gatheredH622 together from their citiesH5892 and cameH935 to the battleH4421. 8When DavidH1732 heardH8085 about it, he sentH7971 JoabH3097 and allH3605 the armyH6635, the mightyH1368 menH1368. 9The sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 cameH3318 outH3318 and drewH6186 upH6186 in battleH4421 formationH4421 at the entranceH6607 of the cityH5892; and the kingsH4428 whoH834 had comeH935 were byH905 themselvesH905 in the fieldH7704.

Ammon and Aram Defeated

10Now when JoabH3097 sawH7200 that the 6battleH4421 was set againstH413 him at the frontH6440 and at the rearH268, he selectedH977 warriors from allH3605 the choiceH970 menH970 in IsraelH3478 and linedH6186 them upH6186 againstH7122 the ArameansH758. 11But the remainderH3499 of the peopleH5971 he placedH5414 7under the commandH3027 of 8AbshaiH52 his brotherH251; and they linedH6186 upH6186 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’s showH2388 ourselves courageousH2388 for the benefitH1157 of our peopleH5971 and the citiesH5892 of our GodH430; and may the LordH3068 doH6213 whatH2896 isH2896 goodH2896 in His sightH5869.” 14So JoabH3097 and the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him advancedH5066 to battleH4421 againstH6440 the ArameansH758, and they fledH5127 from him. 15When the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 sawH7200 that the ArameansH758 had fledH5127, they alsoH1571 fledH5127 from his brotherH251 AbshaiH52 and enteredH935 the cityH5892. Then JoabH3097 cameH935 to JerusalemH3389.

16When the ArameansH758 sawH7200 that they had been 9defeatedH5062 by IsraelH3478, they sentH7971 messengersH4397 and broughtH3318 outH3318 the ArameansH758 whoH834 were beyondH4480H5676 the Euphrates RiverH5104, with ShophachH7780 the commanderH8269 of the armyH6635 of HadadezerH1909 10leadingH6440 them. 17When it was reportedH5046 to DavidH1732, he gatheredH622 allH3605 IsraelH3478 together and crossedH5674 the JordanH3383, and cameH935 upon them and drewH6186 upH6186 inH6186 formationH6186 againstH413 them. And when DavidH1732 drewH6186 upH6186 in battleH4421 formationH4421 againstH7122 the ArameansH758, they foughtH3898 againstH5973 him. 18And the ArameansH758 fledH5127 from IsraelH3478, and DavidH1732 killedH2026 of the ArameansH758 sevenH7651 thousandH505 charioteersH7393 and fortyH705 thousandH505 footH7273 soldiersH376H7273; and he putH4191 ShophachH7780 the commanderH8269 of the armyH6635 toH4191 deathH4191. 19So when the servantsH5650 of HadadezerH1909 sawH7200 that they had been 11defeatedH5062 by IsraelH3478, they madeH7999 peaceH7999 with DavidH1732 and servedH5647 him. So the ArameansH758 wereH14 not willingH14 to helpH3467 the sonsH1121 of AmmonH5983 anymoreH5750.