1 Algum tempo depois, morreu Naás, rei dos amonitas, e seu filho Hanum subiu ao trono. 2 Davi disse: "Vou demonstrar lealdade a Hanum, assim como seu pai, Naás, sempre foi leal a mim". Então Davi enviou representantes para expressar seu pesar a Hanum pela morte do pai dele.
Mas, quando os representantes de Davi chegaram à terra de Amom, 3 os líderes amonitas disseram a Hanum, seu senhor: "O rei acredita mesmo que esses homens estão aqui para honrar seu pai? Não! Davi os enviou com o objetivo de espionar a cidade para vir e conquistá-la!". 4 Então Hanum prendeu os representantes de Davi e raspou metade da barba de cada um, cortou metade de suas roupas até as nádegas e os expulsou de sua terra.
5 Quando Davi soube o que havia acontecido, enviou mensageiros ao encontro dos homens, para que lhes dissessem: "Fiquem em Jericó até que sua barba tenha crescido e voltem em seguida", pois estavam muito envergonhados.
6 Quando os amonitas perceberam quanto haviam enfurecido Davi, contrataram vinte mil soldados de infantaria dos sírios das terras de Bete-Reobe e Zobá, mil homens do rei de Maaca e doze mil da terra de Tobe. 7 Davi foi informado disso e enviou Joabe e todos os seus guerreiros para lutarem contra eles. 8 As tropas amonitas avançaram e formaram sua frente de batalha à entrada da cidade, enquanto os sírios de Zobá e Reobe e os homens de Tobe e Maaca se posicionaram para lutar nos campos abertos.
9 Joabe viu que teria de lutar em duas frentes ao mesmo tempo, por isso escolheu alguns dos melhores guerreiros de Israel e os pôs sob seu comando pessoal para enfrentar os sírios. 10 Deixou o restante do exército sob o comando de seu irmão Abisai, que atacou os amonitas. 11 Joabe disse a seu irmão: "Se os sírios forem fortes demais para mim, venha me ajudar. E, se os amonitas forem fortes demais para você, eu irei ajudá-lo. 12 Coragem! Lutemos bravamente por nosso povo e pelas cidades de nosso Deus. E que seja feita a vontade do Senhor!".
13 Joabe e suas tropas atacaram, e os sírios começaram a fugir. 14 Quando os amonitas viram que os sírios batiam em retirada, também fugiram de Abisai e recuaram para dentro da cidade. Terminada a batalha, Joabe voltou para Jerusalém.
15 Os sírios viram que não tinham como enfrentar Israel. Assim, ao se reagrupar, 16 receberam o reforço de soldados sírios convocados por Hadadezer do outro lado do rio Eufrates. Essas tropas chegaram a Helã conduzidas por Sobaque, comandante das forças de Hadadezer.
17 Quando Davi foi informado do que estava acontecendo, reuniu todo o Israel, atravessou o Jordão e levou o exército até Helã. Os sírios se posicionaram para a batalha e lutaram contra Davi. 18 Mais uma vez, porém, os sírios fugiram dos israelitas. O exército de Davi matou setecentos homens em carros de guerra e quarenta mil soldados de infantaria, incluindo Sobaque, comandante de seu exército. 19 Quando todos os reis aliados a Hadadezer viram que ele havia sido derrotado pelos israelitas, renderam-se a Israel e se tornaram súditos de Davi. Depois disso, os sírios tiveram medo de voltar a ajudar os amonitas.
1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
2 And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me. So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon.
3 But the rulers of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Think thou that David honors thy father, in that he has sent comforters to thee? Has not David sent his servants to thee to search the city, and to spy it out, and to ov
4 So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
5 When they told it to David, 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 sons of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David, the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the
7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.
8 And the sons of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate. And the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.
9 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and behind, he chose from all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.
10 And the rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother. And he put them in array against the sons of Ammon.
11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.
12 Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God. And LORD do that which seems good to him.
13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Syrians. And they fled before him.
14 And when the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. Then Joab returned from the sons of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.
15 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered themselves together.
16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadarezer at their head.
17 And it was told David. And he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.
18 And the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed of the Syrians [the men of] seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their army so that he died there.
19 And when all the kings who were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the sons of Ammon any more.