2 Samuel Chapter 10

David Defeats the Ammonites

¹ The king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. ² David said, “I’ll be kind to Hanun Ben-Nahash like his father was kind to me.” David sent some ambassadors to console him about his father. But when they got there, ³ the Ammonite officials said to Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father because he sent consolers? Hasn’t he sent them to look over the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?” ⁴ Hanun took David’s ambassadors and shaved off half their beards, cut off their cloaks as high as their hips, and sent them away. ⁵ When David found out, he sent to meet them because they were really humiliated. He told them to stay at Jericho till their beards grew, and then come back.

⁶ When the Ammonites saw they’d become repugnant to David, they hired the Arameans from Beth-rehob and Zobah with 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob with 12,000 men. ⁷ David heard about it, and sent Joab and the whole army, the powerful men. ⁸ The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to the city. The Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

2 Sam 10:1-8

⁹ When Joab saw he’d have to fight in front and in back, he selected elite men from Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. ¹⁰ The rest he put under the command of his brother Abishai against the Ammonites,

¹¹ “If the Arameans are too strong for me, come and help me. If the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll come help you. ¹² Let’s be strong and courageous for our people and the towns of our God. May Yahveh do what seems good to him.”

¹³ Joab and his people advanced against the Arameans, and they ran. ¹⁴ When the Ammonites saw them flee, they retreated into the city. Then Joab came back from fighting Ammon’s descendants and went to Jerusalem.                    

2 Sam 10:9-14

¹⁵ When the Arameans saw that Israel had defeated them, they gathered together. ¹⁶ Hadadezer brought out the Arameans beyond the River and came to Helam. Shobach, commander of Hadadezer’s army, led them. ¹⁷ David found out and gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan to Helam. The Arameans put themselves in battle formation, ¹⁸ but they fled from Israel. David killed 700 charioteers, 40,000 cavalry, and struck down Shobach; he died there. ¹⁹ When the kings, Hadadezer’s allies, saw Israel had defeated them, they surrendered and served Israel. The Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.                                                                                    

2 Sam 10:15-19