1
And it came afterward that Nachash king of the sons of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place.
2
Daviyd said, “I shall show covenant-faithfulness to Chanun son of Nachash, because his father showed covenant-faithfulness to me.” And Daviyd sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. The servants of Daviyd came into the land of the sons of Ammon to Chanun, to comfort him.
3
But the commanders of the sons of Ammon said to Chanun, “Is Daviyd honoring your father in your eyes by sending comforters to you? Have his servants not come to search, overthrow, and spy out the land?”
4
So Chanun took the servants of Daviyd, shaved them, cut their garments in half as far as the buttocks, and sent them away.
5
They went and told Daviyd concerning the ish, and he sent to meet them, because the ish were exceedingly humiliated. The king said, “Dwell in Yericho until your beards grow, then return.”
6
When the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to Daviyd, Chanun and the sons of Ammon sent one thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-Naharayim, Aram-Maakhah, and Tzovah.
7
They hired thirty-two thousand chariots, with the king of Maakhah and his people. They came and encamped before Meydeva; and the sons of Ammon gathered from their cities and came to battle.
8
Daviyd heard and sent Yoav with all the army of the mighty ones.
9
The sons of Ammon went out and arranged battle at the entrance of the city, while the kings who had come were alone in the field.
10
Yoav saw that the face of the battle was against him before and behind. He chose from all the chosen of Yisra’el and arranged them to meet Aram.
11
The remainder of the people he placed in the hand of Avshai his brother, and they arranged themselves to meet the sons of Ammon.
12
He said, “If Aram is stronger than I, then you shall become my salvation; but if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you, then I shall save you.
13
Be strong, and let us strengthen ourselves for our people and for the cities of our Elohim. Let Yahuah do what is good in His eyes.”
14
Yoav and the people with him drew near before Aram for battle, and they fled from before his face.
15
When the sons of Ammon saw that Aram had fled, they also fled from before Avshai his brother and entered the city. Then Yoav came to Yerushalayim.
16
Aram saw that they were struck before Yisra’el, and they sent messengers and brought out Aram from beyond the River, with Shofakh commander of the army of Hadadezer before them.
17
It was told to Daviyd, and he gathered all Yisra’el, crossed the Yarden, came to them, and arranged against them. Daviyd arranged battle to meet Aram, and they fought with him.
18
Aram fled from before Yisra’el, and Daviyd killed seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers of Aram; and he put Shofakh commander of the army to death.
19
When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were struck before Yisra’el, they made peace with Daviyd and served him. And Aram was no longer willing to save the sons of Ammon.