1 Nahash|strong="H5176" was|strong="H1961" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H1121" the|strong="H0310" Ammonites|strong="H5983". When|strong="H1961" Nahash|strong="H5176" died|strong="H4191", his|strong="H1961" son|strong="H1121" became|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0310" new king|strong="H4428".
2 Then|strong="H0935" David|strong="H1732" said|strong="H0559", “Nahash|strong="H5176" was|strong="H0776" kind to|strong="H0413" me|strong="H0413", so|strong="H6213" I|strong="H3588" will|strong="H0776" be|strong="H1121" kind to|strong="H0413" Hanun|strong="H2586", Nahash’s son|strong="H1121".” So|strong="H6213" David|strong="H1732" sent|strong="H7971" messengers|strong="H4397" to|strong="H0413" comfort|strong="H5162" Hanun|strong="H2586" about|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0559" death of|strong="H1121" his|strong="H5921" father|strong="H0001". David’s|strong="H1732" messengers|strong="H4397" went|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" country|strong="H0776" of|strong="H1121" Ammon|strong="H5983" to|strong="H0413" comfort|strong="H5162" Hanun|strong="H2586".
3 But|strong="H3588" the|strong="H0853" Ammonite|strong="H5983" leaders|strong="H8269" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0413" Hanun|strong="H2586", “Don’t|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" fooled. David|strong="H1732" didn’t|strong="H3808" really|strong="H0559" send|strong="H7971" these men|strong="H1121" to|strong="H0413" comfort|strong="H5162" you|strong="H3588" or|strong="H3808" to|strong="H0413" honor|strong="H3513" your|strong="H0935" dead father|strong="H0001"! No|strong="H3808", David|strong="H1732" sent|strong="H7971" his|strong="H1732" servants|strong="H5650" to|strong="H0413" spy|strong="H7270" on|strong="H0413" you|strong="H3588" and|strong="H1121" your|strong="H0935" land|strong="H0776". He|strong="H3588" really|strong="H0559" wants to|strong="H0413" destroy your|strong="H0935" country|strong="H0776"!”
4 So|strong="H3947" Hanun|strong="H2586" arrested David’s|strong="H1732" servants|strong="H5650" and|strong="H7971" cut|strong="H3772" off|strong="H3772" their|strong="H3947" beards. Hanun|strong="H2586" also|strong="H0853" cut|strong="H3772" their|strong="H3947" clothes off|strong="H3772" at|strong="H1732" the|strong="H0853" hip and|strong="H7971" sent|strong="H7971" them|strong="H0853" away|strong="H7971".
5 David’s|strong="H1732" men|strong="H0376" were|strong="H0834" too|strong="H5921" embarrassed|strong="H3637" to|strong="H0559" go|strong="H7971" home|strong="H7725". Some|strong="H0376" people|strong="H0376" went|strong="H7725" to|strong="H0559" David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H4428" told|strong="H5046" him|strong="H5921" what|strong="H0834" happened|strong="H1961" to|strong="H0559" his|strong="H5921" men|strong="H0376". So|strong="H7971" King|strong="H4428" David|strong="H1732" sent|strong="H7971" this|strong="H3588" message to|strong="H0559" his|strong="H5921" men|strong="H0376": “Stay|strong="H3427" in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H0559" town of|strong="H4428" Jericho|strong="H3405" until|strong="H5704" your|strong="H5921" beards|strong="H2206" grow|strong="H6779" again|strong="H7725". Then|strong="H1961" you|strong="H0834" can|strong="H0834" come|strong="H1961" back|strong="H7725" home|strong="H7725".”
6 The|strong="H3588" Ammonites|strong="H5983" saw|strong="H7200" they|strong="H3588" had|strong="H1732" caused themselves|strong="H0887" to|strong="H7971" become|strong="H0887" hated enemies of|strong="H1121" David|strong="H1732". Then|strong="H7971" Hanun|strong="H2586" and|strong="H1121" the|strong="H3588" Ammonites|strong="H5983" used 75,000 pounds of|strong="H1121" silver|strong="H3701" to|strong="H7971" buy chariots|strong="H7393" and|strong="H1121" chariot|strong="H7393" drivers from|strong="H4480" Mesopotamia|strong="H0763". They|strong="H3588" also|strong="H1732" got chariots|strong="H7393" and|strong="H1121" chariot|strong="H7393" drivers from|strong="H4480" the|strong="H3588" towns of|strong="H1121" Maacah|strong="H4601" and|strong="H1121" Zobah|strong="H6678" in|strong="H1121" Aram|strong="H0758".
7 The|strong="H0853" Ammonites|strong="H5983" bought 32,000 chariots|strong="H7393". They|strong="H0935" also|strong="H0853" paid the|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H1121" Maacah|strong="H4601" and|strong="H1121" his|strong="H0935" army|strong="H5971" to|strong="H0935" come|strong="H0935" and|strong="H1121" help|strong="H5971" them|strong="H0853". The|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H1121" Maacah|strong="H4601" and|strong="H1121" his|strong="H0935" people|strong="H5971" came|strong="H0935" and|strong="H1121" set|strong="H0935" up|strong="H0935" a|strong="H0935" camp|strong="H2583" near|strong="H6440" the|strong="H0853" town|strong="H5892" of|strong="H1121" Medeba|strong="H4311". The|strong="H0853" Ammonites|strong="H5983" themselves|strong="H0622" came|strong="H0935" out|strong="H6440" of|strong="H1121" their|strong="H6440" towns|strong="H5892" and|strong="H1121" got ready for|strong="H4428" battle|strong="H4421".
8 David|strong="H1732" heard|strong="H8085" that|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" Ammonites were|strong="H1732" getting ready for|strong="H7971" war|strong="H6635". So|strong="H7971" he|strong="H1732" sent|strong="H7971" Joab|strong="H3097" and|strong="H7971" the|strong="H3605" whole|strong="H3605" army|strong="H6635" of|strong="H3605" Israel to|strong="H8085" fight the|strong="H3605" Ammonites.
9 The|strong="H0834" Ammonites|strong="H5983" came|strong="H0935" out|strong="H3318" and|strong="H1121" got|strong="H3318" ready for|strong="H4428" battle|strong="H4421". They|strong="H0834" were|strong="H0834" near the|strong="H0834" city|strong="H5892" gate|strong="H6607". The|strong="H0834" kings|strong="H4428" who|strong="H0834" had|strong="H0834" come|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" help|strong="H4421" stayed out|strong="H3318" in|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0834" fields|strong="H7704" by|strong="H0935" themselves|strong="H0905".
10 Joab|strong="H3097" saw|strong="H7200" that|strong="H3588" there|strong="H1961" were|strong="H1961" two army|strong="H4421" groups ready to|strong="H0413" fight|strong="H4421" against|strong="H0413" him|strong="H0413". One|strong="H3605" group was|strong="H1961" in|strong="H0413" front|strong="H6440" of|strong="H6440" him|strong="H0413" and|strong="H3478" the|strong="H3605" other|strong="H3605" group was|strong="H1961" behind|strong="H0268" him|strong="H0413". So|strong="H1961" Joab|strong="H3097" chose|strong="H0977" some|strong="H3605" of|strong="H6440" the|strong="H3605" best soldiers|strong="H4421" of|strong="H6440" Israel|strong="H3478" and|strong="H3478" sent them|strong="H0413" out|strong="H6440" to|strong="H0413" fight|strong="H4421" against|strong="H0413" the|strong="H3605" Aramean|strong="H0758" army|strong="H4421".
11 He|strong="H5414" put|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0853" rest|strong="H3499" of|strong="H1121" the|strong="H0853" Israelite army|strong="H5971" under|strong="H3027" his|strong="H5414" brother|strong="H0251" Abishai’s command|strong="H3027". These|strong="H5971" soldiers|strong="H5971" went|strong="H7125" out|strong="H3027" to|strong="H5414" fight against|strong="H7125" the|strong="H0853" Ammonite|strong="H5983" army|strong="H5971".
12 Joab|strong="H0559" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" Abishai, “If|strong="H0518" the|strong="H0559" Arameans|strong="H0758" are|strong="H1121" too|strong="H4480" strong|strong="H2388" for|strong="H0518" me|strong="H4480", you|strong="H0518" must|strong="H0518" help|strong="H3467" me|strong="H4480". But|strong="H0518" if|strong="H0518" the|strong="H0559" Ammonites|strong="H5983" are|strong="H1121" too|strong="H4480" strong|strong="H2388" for|strong="H0518" you|strong="H0518", I|strong="H0518" will|strong="H1961" help|strong="H3467" you|strong="H0518".
13 Let’s be|strong="H3068" brave and|strong="H3068" strong|strong="H2388" while|strong="H5869" we|strong="H6213" fight for|strong="H1157" our|strong="H3068" people|strong="H5971" and|strong="H3068" for|strong="H1157" the|strong="H3068" cities|strong="H5892" of|strong="H0430" our|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430"! May|strong="H0430" the|strong="H3068" LORD|strong="H3068" do|strong="H6213" what|strong="H2896" he|strong="H0430" thinks is|strong="H3068" right|strong="H5869".”
14 Joab|strong="H3097" and|strong="H6440" the|strong="H6440" army|strong="H5971" with|strong="H5973" him|strong="H6440" attacked|strong="H4421" the|strong="H6440" Aramean|strong="H0758" army|strong="H5971". The|strong="H6440" Arameans|strong="H0758" ran|strong="H5127" away|strong="H5127" from|strong="H6440" Joab|strong="H3097" and|strong="H6440" his|strong="H0834" army|strong="H5971".
15 When|strong="H3588" the|strong="H6440" Ammonite|strong="H5983" army|strong="H3389" saw|strong="H7200" that|strong="H3588" the|strong="H6440" Aramean|strong="H0758" army|strong="H3389" was|strong="H1121" running away|strong="H5127", they|strong="H1992" also|strong="H1571" ran|strong="H5127" away|strong="H5127". They|strong="H1992" ran|strong="H5127" away|strong="H5127" from|strong="H0935" Abishai|strong="H0052" and|strong="H1121" his|strong="H0935" army|strong="H3389". The|strong="H6440" Ammonites|strong="H5983" went|strong="H0935" back|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" their|strong="H1992" city|strong="H5892", and|strong="H1121" Joab|strong="H3097" went|strong="H0935" back|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" Jerusalem|strong="H3389".
16 The|strong="H0853" Aramean|strong="H0758" leaders|strong="H8269" saw|strong="H7200" that|strong="H0834" Israel|strong="H3478" had|strong="H0834" defeated|strong="H5062" them|strong="H0853". So|strong="H7971" they|strong="H0834" sent|strong="H7971" messengers|strong="H4397" to|strong="H3478" get|strong="H3318" help from|strong="H3318" the|strong="H0853" Arameans|strong="H0758" living east|strong="H5676" of|strong="H8269" the|strong="H0853" Euphrates|strong="H5104" River|strong="H5104". Shophach|strong="H7780" was|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0853" commander|strong="H8269" of|strong="H8269" Hadadezer’s|strong="H1909" army|strong="H6635" from|strong="H3318" Aram|strong="H0758". Shophach|strong="H7780" also|strong="H0853" led|strong="H3318" the|strong="H0853" other|strong="H5676" Aramean|strong="H0758" soldiers.
17 David|strong="H1732" heard|strong="H5046" the|strong="H3605" news that|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" Arameans|strong="H0758" were|strong="H3478" gathering|strong="H0622" for|strong="H0413" battle|strong="H4421", so|strong="H0935" he|strong="H1732" gathered|strong="H0622" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" Israelites|strong="H3478". David|strong="H1732" led|strong="H0935" them|strong="H0413" across|strong="H5674" the|strong="H3605" Jordan|strong="H3383" River, and|strong="H0935" they|strong="H0935" came|strong="H0935" face to|strong="H0413" face with|strong="H5973" the|strong="H3605" Arameans|strong="H0758". David|strong="H1732" got his|strong="H3605" army|strong="H0622" ready for|strong="H0413" battle|strong="H4421" and|strong="H0935" they|strong="H0935" attacked|strong="H0935" the|strong="H3605" Arameans|strong="H0758".
18 The|strong="H0853" Arameans|strong="H0758" ran|strong="H5127" away|strong="H5127" from|strong="H0376" the|strong="H0853" Israelites|strong="H3478". David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H3478" his|strong="H1732" army|strong="H6635" killed|strong="H2026" 7000 Aramean|strong="H0758" chariot|strong="H7393" drivers and|strong="H3478" 40,000 Aramean|strong="H0758" soldiers|strong="H0376". David|strong="H1732" and|strong="H3478" his|strong="H1732" army|strong="H6635" also|strong="H0853" killed|strong="H2026" Shophach|strong="H7780", the|strong="H0853" commander|strong="H8269" of|strong="H0376" the|strong="H0853" Aramean|strong="H0758" army|strong="H6635".
19 When|strong="H3588" Hadadezer’s|strong="H1909" officers|strong="H5650" saw|strong="H7200" that|strong="H3588" Israel|strong="H3478" had|strong="H3478" defeated|strong="H5062" them|strong="H0853", they|strong="H3588" made|strong="H5647" peace with|strong="H5973" David|strong="H1732". They|strong="H3588" became|strong="H7200" his|strong="H1732" servants|strong="H5650". So|strong="H3808" the|strong="H0853" Arameans|strong="H0758" refused|strong="H0014" to|strong="H3478" help|strong="H3467" the|strong="H0853" Ammonites|strong="H5983" again|strong="H5750".