1 ¶ Now after this Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.

2 And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.

3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Just because David has sent comforters to you, do you really think that he honors your father? Haven’t his servants come to scout out and to spy on the country, to overthrow it?

4 Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle near their buttocks, and sent them away.

5 When David was told how the men were treated, he sent messengers to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.

6 ¶ And when the children of Ammon realized that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from the Syrians in Mesopotamia, in Maachah, and in Zobah.

7 So they hired thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his troops; who came and pitched camp before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.

8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and the whole army of the best fighting men.

9 And the children of Ammon came out, and lined up in battle array before the gate of the city: and the kings that had come were by themselves in the open country.

10 Now when Joab saw that he was under attack in front and in back, he picked men from all the best of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

11 And he put the rest of the troops under the command of his brother Abishai, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

12 And he said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me: but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.

13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do what is good in his sight.

14 So Joab and the people who were with him approached the Syrians to fight; and they fled before him.

15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Joab’s brother Abishai, and entered the city. Then Joab went to Jerusalem.

16 And when the Syrians saw that they were defeated by Israel, they sent messengers, and drew out the Syrians who were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the army of Hadarezer went before them.

17 And David was told of it; and he gathered all Israel, and crossed over the Jordan, and came upon them, and got ready to attack. So when David lined up to engage the Syrians in battle, they fought with him.

18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew seven thousand of the Syrians who fought in chariots, and forty thousand infantrymen, and killed Shophach the captain of the army.

19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: nor would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any longer.