THE SECOND BOOK OF
SAMUEL,
2 Samuel 10 ©
David sends ambassadors to the king of the Ammonites with the presentation of his favor, v. 1, 2, etc. But the same king entreats the ambassadors most shamefully, 3. And gathers a great army together against David, 6. Against whom David sends forth Joab and Abishai, who smite the Ammonites, and the Syrians, who came to help them, and return to Jerusalem, 7. The Syrians, gathering themselves again together against David, are smitten and subdued by him, 15.
ANDa1it came to pass after this, that the 2king of the children of Ammon died, and 3Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of 4Nahash, 5as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the 6hand of his 7servants for 8his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, 9Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? 10hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of 11their beards, and cut off their garments 12in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at 13Jericho until your beards be 14grown, and then return.
¶And when the children of Ammon saw that they 15stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and 16hired the 17Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of 18Ish-tob twelve thousand men.
And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the 19mighty men.
And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the 20gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
When Joab saw that the 21front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array 22against the Syrians:
And 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.
And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt 23help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
24Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD 25do that which seemeth him 26good.
And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
And 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.
¶And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the 27river: and they came to 28Helam; and 29Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.
And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in 30array against David, and fought with him.
And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David 31slew the 32men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand 33horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.
And when all the kings that were 34servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and 35served them. So the Syrians feared 36to help the children of Ammon any more.