2 Samuel 10

Modern

Literal

David’s Messengers Disgraced

¹Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun.

¹And it came to pass after this that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.

²And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.”

So David sent some of his servants to console Hanun concerning his father. But when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites,

²And David said, “I will do kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, as his father did kindness to me.” And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants concerning his father. And the servants of David came into the land of the sons of Ammon.

³the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?”

³And the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Is David honoring your father in your eyes because he has sent to you comforters? Is it not for the purpose of searching out the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it that David has sent his servants to you?”

⁴So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.

⁴And Hanun took the servants of David and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle at their buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵When this was reported to David, he sent messengers to meet the men, since they had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”

⁵And they told David, and he sent to meet them because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Abide at Jericho until your beards have grown, and return.”

⁶When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.

⁶And the sons of Ammon saw that they were made to stink to David, and the sons of Ammon sent and hired Aram of Beth-rehob, and Aram of Zoba, and twenty thousand footmen, and from the king of Maacah a thousand men, and from Tob twelve thousand men.

⁷On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men.

⁷And David heard, and he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men.

⁸The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

⁸And the sons of Ammon came out for battle and arrayed themselves at the entrance of the gate, and Aram of Zobah, and Rehob, and the men of Tob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

David Defeats Ammon and Aram

⁹When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.

⁹And Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before the faces and behind, and he chose some of the chosen of Israel, and he arrayed them to meet Aram.

¹⁰And he placed the rest of the troops under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites.

¹⁰And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the sons of Ammon.

¹¹“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.

¹¹And he said, “If Aram is too strong for me, then you will be to me for salvation. But if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will go to give salvation to you.

¹²Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.”

¹²Be strong and strengthen yourself for our people, and for the cities of our God. And YHWH does what is good in His eyes.”

¹³So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him.

¹³And Joab drew near, and the people who were with him, for the battle against Aram, and they fled before his face.

¹⁴When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁴And the sons of Ammon saw that Aram was fleeing, and they fled before Abishai and entered the city. And Joab returned from the sons of Ammon, and he entered Jerusalem.

¹⁵When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped.

¹⁵And Aram saw that they had been struck by Israel, and they gathered together.

¹⁶Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates,^a and they came to Helam with Shobach^b the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

¹⁶And Hadadezer sent and brought out Aram, which is beyond the River. And they came to Helam, and Shobach commander of the army of Hadadezer was before their faces.

¹⁷When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought against him.

¹⁷And it was told to David, and he gathered all Israel and passed over the Jordan, and he came to Helam. And Aram arrayed themselves against David, and fought with him.

¹⁸But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers.^a He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there.

¹⁸And Aram fled before Israel, and David killed of Aram seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers, and Shobach the commander of their army he struck down, and he died there.

¹⁹When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

¹⁹And all the kings—servants of Hadadezer—saw that they were defeated by Israel, and they made peace with Israel and served them. And Aram was afraid to deliver the sons of Ammon anymore.