1 Chronicles
19:1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of
Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.
19:2 And 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.
19:3 But 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?
19:4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off
their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.
19:5 Then 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.
19:6 And 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
Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah.
19:7 So 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.
19:8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty
men.
19:9 And 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.
19:10 Now 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.
19:11 And 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.
19:12 And 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.
19:13 Be 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.
19:14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians
unto the battle; and they fled before him.
19:15 And 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.
19:16 And 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.
19:17 And 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.
19:18 But 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.
19:19 And 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.
