19:1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash ha melekh of the benai Ammon died, and beno reigned in his stead.
19:2 And Davyid said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun Ben Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And Davyid sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of Davyid came into the land of the benai Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.
19:3 But the Sarei the benai Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that Davyid doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?
19:4 Wherefore Hanun took Davyid's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.
19:5 Then there went [certain], and told Davyid how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And ha melekh said, Tarry at Yericho until your beards be grown, and [then] return.
19:6 And when the benai Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to Davyid, Hanun and the benai Ammon sent a thousand talents of kesef to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria maachah, and out of Zobah.
19:7 So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and ha melekh of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the benai Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.
19:8 And when Davyid heard [of it], he sent Yo'av, and all the host of the mighty men.
19:9 And the benai Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and ha melekhs that were come [were] by themselves in the field.
19:10 Now when Yo'av saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Yisrael, and put [them] in array against the Syrians.
19:11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set [themselves] in array against the benai Ammon.
19:12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the benai Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.
19:13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of Eloheinu: and let YHWH (יהוה) do [that which is] good in his sight.
19:14 So Yo'av and the people that [were] with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.
19:15 And when the benai Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Yo'av came to Yerushalayim.
19:16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Yisrael, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that [were] beyond the river: and Shofach the captain of the host of Hadarezer [went] before them.
19:17 And it was told Davyid; and he gathered all Yisrael, and passed over Yardan, and came upon them, and set [the battle] in array against them. So when Davyid had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.
19:18 But the Syrians fled before Yisrael; and Davyid slew of the Syrians seven thousand [men which fought in] chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shofach the captain of the host.
19:19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Yisrael, they made peace with Davyid, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the benai Ammon any more.