1And it happened after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place. 2And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants 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, Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land? 4So Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away. 5Then certain persons went, and told David how the men had been treated. And he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return. 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 for themselves chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Aram-maacah, and out of Zobah. 7So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle. 8And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. 9And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the gate of the city: and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field. 10Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians. 11And the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the children of Ammon. 12And he said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13Be of good courage, and let us show ourselves courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God: and may Yehovah do what seems good to him. 14So Joab and the people who were with him drew near before the Syrians to the battle; and they fled before him. 15And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem. 16And when the Syrians saw that they were defeated before Israel, they sent messengers, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River, with Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer at their head. 17And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand foot soldiers, and killed Shophach the captain of the host. 19And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with David, and served him: nor would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.