撒母耳記下 第 10 章

And it came to pass after these things that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Annon his son reigned in his place.

And David said: I will show mercy to Annon son of Naas, in the same way that his father showed mercy to me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon.

And the rulers of the sons of Ammon said to Annon their lord: Is it to honor your father before you that David has sent comforters to you? Is it not rather so that they may search out the city and spy on it? It was to reconnoiter it that David sent his servants to you.

And Annon took David's servants and shaved off their beards and cut off their cloaks in the middle, as far as their hips, and sent them away.

And they reported to David concerning the men, and he sent to meet them, because the men had been greatly dishonoured. And the king said, "Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown, and then you shall return."

And the sons of Ammon saw that David's people had been put to shame, and the sons of Ammon sent and hired Syria of Beth-rehob, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah, a thousand men, and Ishtob, twelve thousand men.

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

And the sons of Ammon came out and drew up for battle at the door of the gate; and Syria of Zobah and Rehob and Ishtob and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

And Joab saw that the battle front was against him, both from in front, facing him, and from behind; and he chose from all the young men of Israel, and they drew up in line against Syria.

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

And he said, "If Syria proves stronger than I, then you shall be my deliverance; and if the sons of Ammon prove stronger than you, then we will come to 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 drew near, and the people with him, to battle against Syria; and they fled from before him.

And the sons of Ammon saw that Syria had fled, and they fled from before Abishai and entered the city. And Joab turned back from the sons of Ammon, and they came to Jerusalem.

And Syria saw that it had been defeated before Israel, and they gathered together in one place.

And Hadadezer sent and gathered Syria from beyond the river, Chalamak, and they came to Ailam; and Sobak, 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 they came to Ailam. And Syria drew up in line opposite David, and they fought with him.

And Syria fled from before Israel, and David destroyed of Syria seven hundred chariots and forty thousand horsemen; and he struck down Sobak the commander of his army, and he died there.

And all the kings, the servants of Hadadezer, saw that they had been defeated before Israel, and they deserted to Israel and served them. And Syria was afraid to save the sons of Ammon any more.