1 E aconteceu, depois disto que Naás, rei dos filhos de Amom, morreu; e seu filho reinou em seu lugar.

2 Então disse Davi: Usarei de benevolência com Hanum, filho de Naás, porque seu pai usou de benevolência comigo. Por isso Davi enviou mensageiros para o consolarem acerca de seu pai. E, chegando os servos de Davi à terra dos filhos de Amom, a Hanum, para o consolarem,

3 Disseram os príncipes dos filhos de Amom a Hanum: Pensas porventura, que foi para honrar teu pai aos teus olhos, que Davi te mandou consoladores? Não vieram seus servos a ti, a esquadrinhar, e a transtornar, e a espiar a terra?

4 Por isso Hanum tomou os servos de Davi, e raspou-os, e cortou-lhes as vestes no meio até à coxa da perna, e os despediu.

5 E foram-se, e avisaram a Davi acerca daqueles homens; e enviou ele mensageiros a encontrá-los; porque aqueles homens estavam sobremaneira envergonhados. Disse, pois, o rei: Deixai-vos ficar em Jericó, até que vos torne a crescer a barba, e então voltai.

6 Vendo, pois, os filhos de Amom que se tinham feito odiosos para com Davi, enviou Hanum, e os filhos de Amom, mil talentos de prata para alugarem para si carros e cavaleiros da Mesopotâmia, e da Síria de Maaca, e de Zobá.

7 E alugaram para si trinta e dois mil carros, e o rei de Maaca e o seu povo, e eles vieram, e se acamparam diante de Medeba; também os filhos de Amom se ajuntaram das suas cidades, e vieram para a guerra.

8 O que ouvindo Davi, enviou Joabe e todo o exército dos homens valentes.

9 E, saindo os filhos de Amom, ordenaram a batalha à porta da cidade; porém os reis que vieram se puseram à parte no campo.

10 E, vendo Joabe que a batalha estava preparada contra ele, pela frente e pela retaguarda, separou dentre os mais escolhidos de Israel, e os ordenou contra os sírios.

11 E o resto do povo entregou na mão de Abisai, seu irmão; e puseram-se em ordem de batalha contra os filhos de Amom.

12 E disse: Se os sírios forem mais fortes do que eu, tu virás socorrer-me; e, se os filhos de Amom forem mais fortes do que tu, então eu te socorrerei.

13 Esforça-te, e esforcemo-nos pelo nosso povo, e pelas cidades do nosso Deus, e faça o Senhor o que parecer bem aos seus olhos.

14 Então se chegou Joabe, e o povo que tinha consigo, diante dos sírios, para a batalha; e fugiram de diante dele.

15 Vendo, pois, os filhos de Amom que os sírios fugiram, também eles fugiram de diante de Abisai, seu irmão, e entraram na cidade; e veio Joabe para Jerusalém.

16 E, vendo os sírios que foram derrotados diante de Israel, enviaram mensageiros, e fizeram sair os sírios que habitavam do outro lado do rio; e Sofaque, capitão do exército de Hadar-Ezer, marchava diante deles.

17 Do que avisado Davi, ajuntou a todo o Israel, e passou o Jordão, e foi ter com eles, e ordenou contra eles a batalha; e, tendo Davi ordenado a batalha contra os sírios, pelejaram contra ele.

18 Porém os sírios fugiram de diante de Israel, e feriu Davi, dos sírios, os homens de sete mil carros, e quarenta mil homens de pé; e a Sofaque, capitão do exército, matou.

19 Vendo, pois, os servos de Hadar-Ezer que tinham sido feridos diante de Israel, fizeram paz com Davi, e o serviram; e os sírios nunca mais quiseram socorrer os filhos de Amom.

1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead. 2 And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him. 3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land? 4 Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

6 And 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 them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah. 7 So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle. 8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. 9 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field. 10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians. 11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon. 12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee. 13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight. 14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him. 15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them. 17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over 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. 18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host. 19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.