歷代志上 第 19 章

And it came to pass after this that Nahash king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanan his son reigned in his place.

And David said, "I will show mercy to Hanan son of Nahash, as his father showed mercy to me." And David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon to console him.

And the rulers of Ammon said to Hanan, "Is it to honor your father before you that David has sent you men to console you? Have not his servants come to you in order to search out the city and to spy out the land?"

And Hanan took David's servants and shaved them, and cut away half of their cloaks up to the girdle, and sent them away.

And they came and reported to David concerning the men; and he sent to meet them, for they were greatly dishonored. And the king said, "Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return."

And the sons of Ammon saw that David's people had been shamed; and Hanan and the sons of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Syria of Mesopotamia and from Syria of Maacah and from Zoba.

And they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people; and they came and encamped opposite Medeba. And the sons of Ammon gathered from their cities and came out to make war.

And David heard, and he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.

And the sons of Ammon came out and drew up in battle array by the gate of the city; and the kings who had come encamped by themselves in the plain.

And Joab saw that they had become arrayed against him to fight him in front and behind; and he chose out of all the young men of Israel and drew them up against the Syrian.

And the rest of the people he put into the hand of Abishai his brother, and they drew up against the sons of Ammon.

And he said, "If the Syrian prevails over me, then you shall be my deliverance; and if the sons of Ammon prevail over you, then I will save you."

"Be a man, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God; and the Lord will do what is good in his eyes."

And Joab and the people who were with him drew up for battle against the Syrians, and they fled from before him.

And the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, and they also fled from before Joab and from before Abishai his brother, and they came into the city. And Joab came to Jerusalem.

And the Syrian saw that Israel had routed him, and he sent messengers, and they brought out the Syrians from beyond the river; and Shophach, the commander of the army of Hadadezer, was before them.

And it was reported to David, and he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan and came upon them and drew up against them; and the Syrian drew up opposite David, and they fought him.

And the Syrian fled from before David, and David killed of the Syrian seven thousand chariots and forty thousand foot soldiers, and he killed Shophach the commander of the army.

And the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated before Israel, and they made a covenant with David and became his servants. And the Syrian was no longer willing to help the sons of Ammon.