1 After this it chanced that Nahash king of the children of Ammon died, and his son made king in his stead.
2 Then said David, "I will show kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father dealt kindly with me." And thereupon David sent messengers to comfort him over the death of his father. And when the servants of David were come into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun to comfort him,
3 the lords of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, "Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father in thy sight, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? Nay, but it is to search and overthrow and to spy out the land, that his servants be come unto thee."
4 Whereupon Hanun took David's servants and shaved them, and cut off their coats hard by their buttocks and sent them away.
5 And there went that told David how the men were served. And the king sent to meet them - for the men were exceedingly ashamed - and said, "Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return."
6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank in the nose of David, Hanun, and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire the chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia and out of Arammaacah and out of Zobah.
7 And they hired thirty two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, which came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities and went out to battle.
8 And as soon as David heard of it, he sent Joab with all the host of strong men.
9 And the children of Ammon came out and put them in array to battle before the gate of the city. And the kings that were come kept them by themselves in the field.
10 When Joab saw that the front of the battle was before him and after, he chose out of all the youth of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians.
11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto Abishai his brother, that they should put themselves in array against the children of Ammon,
12 and said, "If the Syrians be too strong for me, succor me, and if the children of Ammon be too good for thee, I will help thee.
13 Pluck up thine heart and let us play the men for our people's sake, and for the cities of our God, and the LORD to do what seemeth him best."
14 And Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh to the Syrians, to fight, and they fled before him.
15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they ran away likewise, from Abishai his brother and gat them into the city. And Joab came to Jerusalem.
16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse of Israel, they sent messengers and fetched out the Syrians that are beyond the river with Shophach the Captain of the host of Hadadezer before them.
17 Which, when it was told David, he gathered all Israel, and went over Jordan and went and set upon them. And David put himself in array against the Syrians, and they fought with him.
18 But the Syrians fled before Israel, and David destroyed of the Syrians seven thousand chariots, and slew forty thousand footmen and killed Shophach the Captain of the host.
19 And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were put to the worse of Israel, they made peace with David and served him. Neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon anymore.