1 Chronicles Chapter 19
David Defeats the Ammonites and Syrians
1 After this, Nahash, king of the Ammonites, died and his son became king. 2 David said, “I’ll be kind to Hanun because his father was kind to me.” He sent ambassadors to console him about his father. 3 But the officials in Ammon told Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending ambassadors to comfort you? Haven’t they come to spy out the land to overthrow it?” Hanun took David’s ambassadors and shaved them, cut off their clothes in the middle as high as their hips, and sent them away. 5 Some people came and told David about the men. He sent to meet them because they were greatly humiliated. He told them to stay in Jericho till their beards grew back; then come home.
6 When the Ammonites saw they’d been offensive to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 37¾ tons 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and cavalry from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah and Zobah. 7 They hired 32,000 chariots, the king of Maacah, and his soldiers. They camped by Medeba. The Ammonites gathered from their towns and came to battle. 8 When David heard it, he sent Joab and the whole army, the strongest soldiers. 9 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to the city. The kings that had come were by themselves in the field. 1 Ch 19:1-9
10 When Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind, he selected elite soldiers and arrayed them against the Arameans. 11 The rest he placed under his brother Abishai, and they arrayed themselves against the Ammonites. 12 He said,
“If the Arameans are too strong for me, you help me. If the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll help you. 13 Be strong; let’s show ourselves courageous for our people and the towns of our God. May Yahveh do what seems good to him.”
14 Joab and his troops engaged the Arameans, and they fled. 15 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they retreated from Abishai into the city. Then Joab made a trip to Jerusalem.
16 When the Arameans saw Israel had defeated them, they sent ambassadors to bring out the Arameans from the other side of the River with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them. 17 When David heard it, he mustered Israel, crossed the Jordan, and came on them. He drew up in formation against them, and they fought him. 18 They fled, and he killed 7,000 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, and put Shophach to death. 19 When Hadadezer’s vassals saw Israel had defeated them, they surrendered and served David. The Arameans weren’t willing to help the Ammonites anymore. 1 Ch 19:10-19