10 Some time later, the Ammonite king died, and his son Hanun replace him as king. 2 “I’ll be kind to Nahash’s son Hanun,” David said, “just like his father was kind to me.” So he sent servants to Hanun to convey his condolences.

When they arrived in the Ammon region, 3 the Ammonite commanders said to their master Hanun, “Do you think that David really sent condolences to honour your late father? Isn’t it more likely because he wanted them to spy on us, and to explore the city so he could more easily conquer it?”

4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and had half of their beards shaved off and their robes cut in half all the way up to their buttocks, then he sent them off. 5 They sent messengers ahead to tell David because they were very humiliated, and the king told them to stay in Yeriho before returning when their beards grew back.

6 Then the Ammonite leaders realised that they’d now caused David to despise them, so they hired twenty thousand Aramean (or Syrian) mercenaries from Beyt-Rehob and Tsovah, and another one thousand from Maakah and twelve thousand from Tov. 7 When David heard that, he sent Yoav in with the entire army. 8 The Ammonites came out the city gate and organised themselves for battle at the entrance, while their hired mercenaries stood apart out in the countryside.

9 When Yoav saw that he was disadvantaged with enemy lines both in front and behind, he selected certain Israeli warriors and placed them to battle the Aramean mercenaries, 10 leaving the others to face the Ammonites under the command of his brother Avishay, 11 telling him, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you come and rescue us, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I’ll come and rescue you. 12 Be strong and courageous for the sake of our people and our God’s cities, and Yahweh will do whatever he considers right.”

13 So Yoav and his men advanced to attack the Aramean mercenaries but they fled away from them. 14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans running away, they started retreating from Abishai and went back into the city, so Yoav withdrew from attacking the Ammonites and returned to Yerushalem.

15 When the Arameans realised that they’d been defeated by Yisrael, they assembled all their warriors together again. 16 King Hadadezer (from Tsovah) called for Aramean warriors from beyond the Euphrates River and they came to Heylam. Shovak was Hadadezer’s army commander. 17 When David heard that, he assembled all the Israeli warriors and they crossed the Yordan going towards Helam. The Arameans came out to meet David and the two sides fought each other. 18 But again the Arameans fled from the Israelis, and David killed seven hundred Aramean charioteers and forty thousand cavalry, and their commander Shobak was struck and died there also. 19 Then all the kings associated with Hadadezer realised they couldn’t defeat Yisrael, so they made peace with the Israelis and served them, and so the Arameans were afraid to try to rescue the Ammonites again.

19 Some time later, the Ammonite King Nahash died and his son Hanun became their king 2 and David said, “I’ll show loyal commitment to Nahash’s son Hanun, because his father was good to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father’s death. However, when David’s servants entered Ammonite territory to comfort Hanun, 3 the Ammonite leaders asked their new king, “Do you think that David’s really sending comforters to honour your father? Wouldn’t it be more likely that he sent his servants to explore and spy out the land in order to overthrow you?” 4 So King Hanun took David’s servants, and had their beards shaved off, plus he cut off the bottom half of their robes to expose their buttocks, and then he sent them home. 5 Some people quickly informed David what had happened, so he sent messengers to meet the men (because they were very much humiliated) and to tell them, “Stay there in Yeriho (Jericho) until your beards grow out, then return here.”

6 By then, the Ammonites realised that they had greatly insulted King David, so King Hanun and the Ammonites sent thirty tonnes of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-Naharayim, Aram-Maakah, and Tsovah. 7 They hired 32,000 chariots, as well as the king of Maakah and his army. They all came and set up their camps near Meydeva, plus they were joined by the Ammonites themselves coming out of their cities ready for battle.

8 When David heard about that, he sent Yoav with the entire army. 9 Then the Ammonites marched out and deployed ready for battle at the entrance to their city, while kings who had come were over in the countryside with their men.

10 Yoav quickly realised that he’d have to fight on two fronts, so he chose Yisrael’s best warriors and set them out to face the Arameans (Syrians), 11 while he placed the remaining men (under the control of his older brother Avshai) out against the Ammonites. 12 Yoav told them, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you can come to rescue me. But if the Ammonites start to gain on you, then I’ll come to rescue you. 13 We must be strong and fight hard to defend our people and our cities that belong to our God. Yahweh will do what he considers to be good.”

14 So Yoav advanced his troops to attack the Arameans, but the Arameans fled away from them. 15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from Avshai and withdrew into the city, so Yoav went back to Yerushalem.

16 When the Arameans saw that they were defeated by Yisrael, they sent messengers to bring more Arameans from across the Euphrates river, led by Shofak, the commander of Hadadezer’s army. 17 When that was reported to David, he gathered all Yisrael and crossed the Yordan. They positioned themselves against the Arameans who then fought against them. 18 But the Arameans fled away from the Israelis, and David killed seven thousand chariot drivers and forty thousand men on foot, as well as killing Shofak their army commander. 19 When Hadadezer’s servants saw that Yisrael had defeated them, they made peace with David and became his subjects, so Aram (Syria) wasn’t willing to help the Ammonites militarily any more.