1 Chronicles 19

1 After this Nahash king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. [a] 2 And David said, “I will show mercy to Hanun son of Nahash, as his father showed mercy to me.” And David sent messengers to comfort him over his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon to comfort him. [b]

3 But the leaders of Ammon said to Hanun, “Is it to honor your father before you that David has sent men to comfort you? Have his servants not come to you to search the city and to spy out the land?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved them, and cut off half of their cloaks, up to the part thrown over the shoulder, and sent them away. [c] 5 And men came to report to David about the men, and he sent to meet them, for they had been badly dishonored. And the king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then come home.”

6 And the sons of Ammon saw that David’s people had been shamed, and Hanun and the sons of Ammon sent about thirty-seven and a half tons of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Aram of Mesopotamia, and from Aram of Maacah, and from Zobah. [d] 7 And they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people; and they came and camped in front of Medeba. And the sons of Ammon gathered out of their cities and came to fight. [f] 8 And David heard of it, and he sent Joab and the whole army of mighty men. 9 And the sons of Ammon came out and drew up for battle at the gateway of the city, and the kings who had come camped by themselves out in the open field.

10 And Joab saw that they had set themselves facing him, to fight him in front and behind, and he picked men out of all the young men of Israel, and they drew up against the Arameans. 11 And the rest of the people he gave into the hand of Abishai his brother, and they drew up against the sons of Ammon. 12 And he said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you will be my rescue; and if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will save you. 13 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.”

14 And Joab and the people with him drew up in front of the Arameans for battle, and they fled from him. 15 And the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, and they too fled before Joab and before Abishai his brother, and they went into the city. And Joab came to Jerusalem.

16 And the Arameans saw that Israel had routed them, and they sent messengers, and they brought the Arameans out from beyond the river, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army at their head. [g] 17 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 Arameans drew up opposite David, and they fought with him.

18 And the Arameans fled before David, and David killed seven thousand chariots of the Arameans and forty thousand men on foot; and he killed Shophach the commander of the army. [h] 19 And the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been beaten before Israel, and they made a covenant with David and served him. And the Arameans were not willing to help the sons of Ammon any more. [i]