1After this also Nahash the King of the children of Ammon dyed, and his sonne reigned in his stead. 2And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him. 3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David 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? 4Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away. 5And there went certaine and tolde Dauid concerning the men: and he sent to meete them (for the men were exceedingly ashamed) and the King saide, Tarie at Iericho, vntill your beardes be growen: then returne. 6And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah. 7So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle. 8And when Dauid heard, he sent Ioab and all the hoste of the valiant men. 9And the children of Ammon came out, and set their battell in aray at the gate of the citie; the Kings that were come, were by them selues in the fielde. 10When Ioab saw that the front of the battel was against him before and behinde, then he chose out of all the choyse of Israel, and set him selfe in aray to meete the Aramites. 11And the rest of the people he deliuered vnto the hande of Abishai his brother, and they put them selues in aray against the children of Ammon. 12And he saide, If Aram be too strong for me, then thou shalt succour me: and if the children of Ammon preuaile against thee, then I wil succour thee. 13Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do [that which is] good in his sight. 14So Ioab and the people that was with him, came neere before the Aramites vnto the battel, and they fled before him. 15And when the children of Ammon sawe that the Aramites fled, they fled also before Abishai his brother, and entred into the citie: so Ioab came to Ierusalem. 16And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that [were] beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer [went] before them. 17And when it was shewed Dauid, he gathered all Israel, and went ouer Iorden, and came vnto them, & put him selfe in aray against them: And when Dauid had put him selfe in battel aray to meete the Aramites, they fought with him. 18But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand [men which fought in] chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host. 19And when the seruants of Hadarezer sawe that they fell before Israel, they made peace with Dauid, and serued him; the Aramites would no more succour the children of Ammon.