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.
Currently Selected:
2 Samuel 10: ERV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
2 Samuel 10
10
Aram Vanquished
1It came about after this that the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son Hanun reigned in his place.
2Then David thought, “Let me show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent word by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. But when David’s servants arrived at the land of the children of Ammon,
3the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David is really honoring your father because he has sent consolers to you? Has not David sent his servants to you in order to explore the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”
4So Hanun seized David’s servants, shaved off one side of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle at their buttocks, and sent them away.
5When they informed David, he sent word to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow, then return.”
6Now when the children of Ammon saw that they had become a stench to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Arameans of Beth-Rehob and the Arameans of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with 1,000 men, plus 12,000 men from Tob.
7When David heard about it, he sent Joab and the whole army—the mighty warriors.
8The children of Ammon came out and lined up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
9When Joab saw that there was a battle line against him front and rear, he chose of all the best troops of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans,
10but the rest of the troops he committed to the command of his brother Abishai, and he arrayed them against the children of Ammon.
11Then he said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you will help me, but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you.
12Chazak! And let us take courage for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God, and may Adonai do what is good in His eyes.”
13So Joab and the troops with him advanced to battle against the Arameans—and they fled before him.
14When the children of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and withdrew into the city. Then Joab returned from assaulting the children of Ammon, and went to Jerusalem.
15When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped.
16Hadadezer sent word and brought out the Arameans from across the River, and they came to Helam, with Hadadezer’s army commander Shobach before them.
17When David was told, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans arrayed their lines against David and fought him.
18But the Arameans fled before Israel—David killed 700 charioteers of the Arameans and 40,000 horsemen, and struck down Shobach the commander of their army, so he died there.
19When the vassal kings of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became servants to them. Then the Arameans were afraid to help the children of Ammon anymore.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society