1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.
2 And David said, I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So 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, Think you that David does honor your father, that he has sent comforters unto you? are not his servants come unto you to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?
4 Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle at their buttocks, and sent them away.
5 Then there went certain, and told David how the men were treated. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Remain at Jericho until your beards are grown, and then return.
6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire themselves chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Aram-maachah, and out of Zobah.
7 So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and encamped 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 all the army of the mighty men.
9 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that had come were by themselves in the field.
10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.
11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, 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 fight valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight.
14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew near before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.
15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.
16 And when the Syrians saw that they were defeated before Israel, they sent messengers, and brought forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the army of Hadadezer went before them.
17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over the Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.
18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men who fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the army.
19 And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.