10:1 And it came to pass after this, that melekh Benai Ammon died, and Chanun his son reigned in his stead.
10:2 Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Chanun Ben Nachash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his avadim for his father. And David's avadim came into the land of the Benai Ammon.
10:3 And the princes of the Benai Ammon said unto Chanun their adon (אדון), Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David [rather] sent his avadim unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
10:4 Wherefore Chanun took David's avadim, 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.
10:5 When they told [it] unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Yericho until your beards be grown, and [then] return.
10:6 And when the Benai Ammon saw that they stank before David, the Benai Ammon sent and hired the Aram of Beit-Rechov, and the Aram of Tzova, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Ma'akhah a thousand men, and of Ish-Tov twelve thousand men.
10:7 And when David heard of [it], he sent Yo'av, and all the host of the mighty men.
10:8 And the Benai Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Aram of Tzova, and of Rehov, and Ish-Tov, and Ma'akhah, [were] by themselves in the field.
10:9 When Yo'av saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice [men] of Yisra'el, and put [them] in array against the Aram:
10:10 And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Avishai his brother, that he might put [them] in array against the Benai Ammon.
10:11 And he said, If the Aram be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the Benai Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
10:12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our Elohim (אלהים): and YHWH (יהוה) do that which seemeth him good.
10:13 And Yo'av drew nigh, and the people that [were] with him, unto the battle against the Arams: and they fled before him.
10:14 And when the Benai Ammon saw that the Aram were fled, then fled they also before Avishai, and entered into the city. So Yo'av returned from the Benai Ammon, and came to Yerushalayim.
10:15 And when the Aram saw that they were smitten before Yisra'el, they gathered themselves together.
10:16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Aram that [were] beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer [went] before them.
10:17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Yisra'el together, and passed over Yarden, and came to Helam. And the Aram set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.
10:18 And the Aram fled before Yisra'el; and David slew [the men of] seven hundred chariots of the Aram, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.
10:19 And when all the kings [that were] avadim to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Yisra'el, they made peace with Yisra'el, and served them. So the Aram feared to help the Benai Ammon any more.