2 Samuel 10
10
David Defeats the Ammonites and the Syrians
(1 Chr 19.1–19)
1Some time later King Nahash of Ammon died, and his son Hanun became king. 2King David said, “I must show loyal friendship to Hanun, as his father Nahash did to me.” So David sent messengers to express his sympathy.
When they arrived in Ammon, 3the Ammonite leaders said to the king, “Do you think that it is in your father's honour that David has sent these men to express sympathy to you? Of course not! He has sent them here as spies to explore the city, so that he can conquer us!”
4Hanun seized David's messengers, shaved off one side of their beards, cut off their clothes at the hips, and sent them away. 5They were too ashamed to return home. When David heard about what had happened, he sent word that they should stay in Jericho and not return until their beards had grown again.
6The Ammonites realized that they had made David their enemy, so they hired 20,000 Syrian soldiers from Bethrehob and Zobah, 12,000 men from Tob, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men. 7David heard of it and sent Joab against them with the whole army. 8The Ammonites marched out and took up their position at the entrance to Rabbah, their capital city, while the others, both the Syrians and the men from Tob and Maacah, took up their position in the open countryside.
9Joab saw that the enemy troops would attack him in front and from the rear, so he chose the best of Israel's soldiers and put them in position facing the Syrians. 10He placed the rest of his troops under the command of his brother Abishai, who put them in position facing the Ammonites. 11Joab said to him, “If you see that the Syrians are defeating me, come and help me, and if the Ammonites are defeating you, I will go and help you. 12Be strong and courageous! Let's fight hard for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD's will be done!”
13Joab and his men advanced to attack, and the Syrians fled. 14When the Ammonites saw the Syrians running away, they fled from Abishai and retreated into the city. Then Joab turned back from fighting the Ammonites and went back to Jerusalem.
15The Syrians realized that they had been defeated by the Israelites, so they called all their troops together. 16King Hadadezer sent for the Syrians who were on the east side of the River Euphrates, and they came to Helam under the command of Shobach, commander of the army of King Hadadezer of Zobah. 17When David heard of it, he gathered the Israelite troops, crossed the River Jordan, and marched to Helam, where the Syrians took up their position facing him. The fighting began, 18and the Israelites drove the Syrian army back. David and his men killed 700 Syrian chariot drivers and 40,000 horsemen, and they wounded Shobach, the enemy commander, who died on the battlefield. 19When the kings who were subject to Hadadezer realized that they had been defeated by the Israelites, they made peace with them and became their subjects. And the Syrians were afraid to help the Ammonites any more.
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2 Samuel 10: GNBUK
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Shmuel Bais 10
10
1And it came to pass after this, that Melech Bnei Ammon died, and Chanun bno reigned in his place.
2Then said Dovid, I will show chesed unto Chanun Ben Nachash, as aviv (his father) showed chesed unto me. And Dovid sent to console him by the yad of his avadim for aviv. And avadim of Dovid came into Eretz Bnei Ammon.
3And the sarim (princes) of the Bnei Ammon said unto Chanun their adon, Thinkest thou that Dovid doth honor avicha, that he hath sent menachamim (comforters) unto thee? Hath not Dovid rather sent his avadim unto thee, to explore the Ir, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
4Therefore, Chanun took the avadim of Dovid, and shaved off half of their zekanim (beards), and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
5When they told it unto Dovid, he sent to meet them, because the anashim were greatly humiliated; and HaMelech said, Tarry at Yericho until your zekanim be grown, and then return.
6And when the Bnei Ammon saw that they became stench before Dovid, the Bnei Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beit-Rechov and the Syrians of Tzova, twenty elef foot soldiers, and of Melech Ma'akhah an elef ish, and of Ish-Tov, twelve elef ish.
7And when Dovid heard of it, he sent Yoav, and all the tzava (host, army) of the Gibborim.
8And the Bnei Ammon came out, arrayed for milchamah at the petach hasha'ar (city gate); and the Syrians of Tzova, and of Rechov, and Ish-Tov, and Ma'akhah, were by themselves in the sadeh.
9When Yoav saw that the front of the milchamah (battle) was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Yisroel, and put them in array against the Syrians;
10And the rest of the people he delivered under the yad (command) of Avishai achiv (his brother), that he might put them in array against the Bnei Ammon.
11And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt be for me for yeshu'ah (salvation, rescue); but if the Bnei Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come for you for yeshu'ah (salvation, rescue).
12Chazak (be strong)! And let us play the man for amenu (our people), and for the towns of Eloheinu; and Hashem do that which seemeth Him hatov in His einayim.
13And Yoav drew near, and HaAm that were with him, unto the milchamah against the Syrians; and they fled before him.
14And when the Bnei Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Avishai, and entered into the Ir. So Yoav returned from the Bnei Ammon, and came to Yerushalayim.
15And when the Syrians saw that they were defeated before Yisroel, they gathered themselves together.
16And Hadadezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the Nahar; and they came to Chelam; and Shovakh the Sar Tzeva (commander of the army) of Hadadezer went before them.
17And when it was told Dovid, he gathered kol Yisroel together, and crossed over Yarden, and came to Chelam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against Dovid, and fought against him.
18And the Syrians fled before Yisroel; and Dovid slaughtered the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty elef parashim, and struck down Shovakh the Sar of his Tzeva (army), who died there.
19And when all the melachim that were avadim (vassals) to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Yisroel, they made shalom with Yisroel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the Bnei Ammon any more.
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