2 Samuel 10
1And
it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
2Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father
shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came
into the land of the children of Ammon.
3And
the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he
hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out,
and to overthrow it?
4Wherefore Hanun took
David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks,
and sent them away.
5When they told it unto
David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be
grown, and then return.
6And when the children
of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob and the Syrians of
Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.
7And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
8And the children of Ammon came out, and put
the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, were by
themselves in the field.
9When Joab saw that
the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array
against the Syrians:
10And the rest of the
people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.
11And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but
if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
12Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the
LORD do that which seemeth him good.
13And
Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
14And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they
also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
15And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered
themselves together.
16And Hadarezer sent,
and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer
went before them.
17And when it was told David,
he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against
David, and fought with him.
18And the Syrians
fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote
Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.
19And
when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel,
and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
