1And it came to pass after this , that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died , and his son reigned in his stead . 2And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash , because his father showed kindness to me . So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father . And David ’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun , to comfort him . 3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun , Thinkest thou that David doth honor thy father , in that he hath sent comforters unto thee ? are not his servants come unto thee to search , and to overthrow , and to spy out the land?
Hanun's Misunderstanding and Insult
4So Hanun took David ’s servants , and shaved them , and cut off their garments in the middle , even to their buttocks , and sent them away . 5Then there went certain persons, 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 .
The Consequences of Hanun's Actions
6And 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 Aram-maacah, and out of Zobah . 7So they hired them thirty and two thousand chariots , and the king of Maacah and his people , who came and encamped before Medeba . And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities , and came to battle . 8And when David heard of it , he sent Joab , and all the host of the mighty men .
The Battle and God's Deliverance
9And the children of Ammon came out , and put the battle in array at the gate of the city : and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field . 10Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel , and put them in array against the Syrians. 11And the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon . 12And 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. 13Be of good courage , and let us play the man for our people , and for the cities of our God : and Jehovah do that which seemeth him good . 14So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle ; and they fled before him . 15And 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 . 16And 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 , with Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head . 17And it was told David ; and he gathered all Israel together , and passed over the 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 . 18And the Syrians fled before Israel ; and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven thousand chariots , and forty thousand footmen , and killed Shophach the captain of the host . 19And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel , they made peace with David , and served him : neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more .