2 Samuel 10

And it happened after this that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in place of him.

And David said, “I will do kindness with Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father did kindness with me.” And David sent by the hand of his servants to console him concerning his father. \* And the servants of David entered the land of the sons of Ammon.

And the commanders of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their master, “In your eyes, is David honoring your father, since he has sent consolers to you? {Is it} not in order to explore the city and to spy on it and to overthrow it {that} David has sent his servants to you?”

So Hanun took the servants of David, and he shaved half of their beard, and he cut their garments in the middle, to their buttocks, and he sent them away. \*

And they declared to David, and he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beard has grown, then you shall return.” \*

And the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves stink to David. So the sons of Ammon sent and hired Aram of Beth Rehob and Aram of Zoba, 20,000 footsoldiers, and the king of Maacah, 1,000 men, and a man of Tob, 12,000 men. \*

And David heard, and he sent Joab and all of the army, the mighty.

And the sons of Ammon came out and arrayed {for} battle {at} the entrance of the gate. And Aram of Zobah and Rehob and a man of Tob and Maacah {were} by themselves in the field. \*

And Joab saw that the faces of the battle were against him from before and from behind, and he chose from all of the chosen of Israel, and he arrayed {them} to meet Aram.

And the rest of the people he put in the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed {them} to meet the sons of Ammon. \*

And he said, “If Aram is stronger than me, then you shall be to me for salvation, but if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you, then I will come to save you.

Be strong, and let us use our strength for the sake of our people and for the sake of the cities of our God. And may God do the good in his eyes.” \*

Then Joab and the people who {were} with him approached for battle against Aram, and they fled from his face.

And the sons of Ammon saw that Aram had fled, and they fled from the face of Abishai, and they entered the city. Then Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon, and he came {to} Jerusalem. \*

And Aram saw that it had been struck to the face of Israel, and they gathered themselves together.

And Hadadezer sent, and he brought out Aram that {was} from beyond the River, and they came {to} Helam. And Shobach, the commander of the army of Hadadezer, {was} to their faces. \*

And it was declared to David, and he gathered all of Israel, and he crossed the Jordan, and he came toward Helam. And Aram arrayed themselves to meet David, and they fought with him.

And Aram fled from the face of Israel, and David killed from Aram 700 charioteers and 40,000 horsemen. And he struck Shobach, the commander of his army, and he died there.

And all of the kings, servants of Hadadezer, saw that they had been struck to the face of Israel, and they made peace with Israel, and they served them. \* And Aram feared to save the sons of Ammon anymore. \*