1 Chronicles 19:1-19 - The Ammonites Humiliate David's Messengers
1 And it will be after this, Nahash king of the sons of Ammon will die, and his son will reign in his stead. 2 And David will say, I will do mercy with Hanun son of Nahash, for his father did mercy with me. And David will send messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants will come to the land of the sons of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him. 3 And the chiefs of the sons of Ammon will say to Hanun, Is David honoring thy father in thine eyes, that he sent comforters to thee? is it not in order to search out, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land, came his servants to thee? 4 And Hanun will take David's servants and shave them, and cut off their garments in the half, even to the step, and he will send them away.
5 And they will go and announce to David concerning the men; and he will send to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king will say, Sit in Jericho till your beard shall spring up, and turn ye back.
6 And the sons of Ammon will see that they were loathsome with David, and Hanun will send, and the sons of Ammon, a thousand talents of silver to hire to them from Aram of the rivers and from Aram-Maachah, and from Zobah, chariots and horsemen. 7 And they will hire to them two and thirty thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people, and they will come and encamp before Medeba. And the sons of Ammon were gathered together from their cities, and they will come to the battle.
8 And David will hear, and he will send Joab and all the army of strong ones. 9 And the sons of Ammon will go forth and set the battle in array at the entrance of the city: and the kings that came by themselves into the field. 10 And Joab will see that the face of the battle Was against him, before and behind; and he will choose from all the young men in Israel, and he will set in array to meet Aram. 11 And the rest of the people he gave into the hand of Abishai his brother, and he will set in array to meet the sons of Ammon.
12 And he will say, If Aram shall be strong above me, and thou wert to me for salvation: and if the sons of Ammon shall be strong above thee, and I saved thee. 13 Be strong, and we will strengthen ourselves for our people and for the cities of our God: and Jehovah will do the good in his eyes.
14 And Joab will draw near, and the people which are with him, before Aram to battle; and they will flee from before him. 15 And the sons of Ammon saw that Aram fled, and they will flee also themselves from the face of Abishai his brother, and they will come into the city. And Joab will come to Jerusalem.
16 And Aram will see that they were smitten before Israel, and they will send messengers and bring forth Aram that was from beyond the river: and Shophach the chief of the army of Hadarezer before them.
17 And it will be announced to David; and he will gather together all Israel, and he will pass over Jordan and come against them, and he will set in array against them. And David will set the battle in array to meet Aram, and they will wage war with him. 18 And Aram will flee from the face of Israel; and David will kill from Aram seven thousand chariots and forty thousand footmen; and he killed Shophach chief of the army. 19 And the servants of Hadarezer will see that they were smitten before Israel, and they will be at peace with David, and will serve him: and Aram would no more help the sons of Ammon.