2 Samuel 10
10
Hanun Shames David’s Men
1Later King Nahash of the Ammonites died. His son Hanun became the new king after him. 2David said, “Nahash was kind to me, so I will be kind to his son Hanun.” So David sent his officers to comfort Hanun about his father’s death.
David’s officers went to the land of the Ammonites. 3But the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, their lord, “Do you think that David is trying to honor your father by sending some men to comfort you? No, David sent these men to spy on your city. They plan to make war against you.”
4So Hanun took David’s officers and shaved off one half of their beards. He cut off their clothes at the hips. Then he sent them away.
5When the people told David, he sent messengers to meet his officers. He did this because these men were very ashamed. King David said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards grow again. Then come back home.”
War Against the Ammonites
6The Ammonites saw that they had become David’s enemies, so they hired Arameans from Beth Rehob and Zobah. There were 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers. The Ammonites also hired the king of Maacah with 1000 men and 12,000 men from Tob.
7David heard about this, so he sent Joab and the whole army of powerful men. 8The Ammonites came out and got ready for the battle. They stood at the city gate. The Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah did not stand together with the Ammonites in the field.
9Joab saw that there were enemies in front of him and behind him. So he chose some of the best Israelite soldiers and lined them up for battle against the Arameans. 10Then Joab gave the other men to his brother Abishai to lead against the Ammonites. 11Joab said to Abishai, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, you will help me. If the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you. 12Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. The Lord will do what he decides is right.”
13Then Joab and his men attacked the Arameans. The Arameans ran away from Joab and his men. 14The Ammonites saw that the Arameans were running away, so they ran away from Abishai and went back to their city.
So Joab came back from the battle with the Ammonites and went back to Jerusalem.
The Arameans Decide to Fight Again
15When the Arameans saw that the Israelites had defeated them, they came together into one big army. 16Hadadezer#10:16 Hadadezer The ancient Greek version has “Hadarezer.” Also in verse 19. sent messengers to bring the Arameans who lived on the other side of the Euphrates River. These Arameans came to Helam. Their leader was Shobach, the captain of Hadadezer’s army.
17When David heard about this, he gathered all the Israelites together. They crossed over the Jordan River and went to Helam.
There the Arameans prepared for battle and attacked, 18but David defeated them, and they ran from the Israelites. David killed 700 chariot drivers and 40,000 horse soldiers as well as Shobach, the captain of the Aramean army.
19The kings who served Hadadezer saw that the Israelites had defeated them, so they made peace with the Israelites and became their servants. The Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites again.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
II Samuel 10
10
The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated
1It happened after this that the #2 Sam. 9:3king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2Then David said, “I will show #2 Sam. 11:1; 1 Chr. 19:1kindness to Hanun the son of #2 Sam. 9:1; 1 Kin. 2:7Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.”
So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the people of Ammon. 3And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”
4Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle, #1 Sam. 11:1at their buttocks, and sent them away. 5When they told David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”
6When the people of Ammon saw that they #Is. 20:4; 47:2had made themselves repulsive to David, the people of Ammon sent and hired #Gen. 34:30; Ex. 5:21the Syrians of #2 Sam. 8:3, 5Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand foot soldiers; and from the king of #Judg. 18:28Maacah one thousand men, and from #Deut. 3:14; Josh. 13:11, 13Ish-Tob twelve thousand men. 7Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of #Judg. 11:3, 5the mighty men. 8Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array at the entrance of the gate. And #2 Sam. 23:8the Syrians of Zoba, Beth Rehob, Ish-Tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
9When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. 10And the rest of the people he put under the command of #2 Sam. 10:6Abishai his brother, that he might set them in battle array against the people of Ammon. 11Then he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12#1 Sam. 26:6; 2 Sam. 3:30Be of good courage, and let us #Deut. 31:6; Josh. 1:6, 7, 9; Neh. 4:14be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may #1 Sam. 4:9; 1 Cor. 16:13the Lord do what is good in His sight.”
13So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 14When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai, and entered the city. So Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went to #1 Sam. 3:18Jerusalem.
15When the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered together. 16Then Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam. And Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army went before them. 17When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in battle array against David and fought with him. 18Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand #2 Sam. 11:1horsemen of the Syrians, and struck Shobach the commander of their army, who died there. 19And when all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and #1 Chr. 19:18served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.