1Now 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 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. 3But 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 ?
Hanun's Misunderstanding and Insult
4Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants , and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks , and sent them away . 5Then 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 .
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 Syria-maachah , and out of Zobah . 7So 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 . 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 before 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 out of all the choice of Israel , and put them in array against the Syrians . 11And 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 . 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 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 . 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 : and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them. 17And 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. 18But 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 . 19And 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.