1 Depois disto morreu o rei dos filhos de Amom, e em seu lugar reinou seu filho Hanum.

2 Então disse Davi: Usarei de beneficência para com Hanum, filho de Naás, como seu pai usou de beneficência para comigo. Davi enviou os seus servos para o consolar acerca de seu pai. Os servos de Davi foram à terra dos filhos de Amom.

3 Mas disseram os príncipes dos filhos de Amom ao seu senhor Hanum: Cuidas tu que em honra de teu pai Davi te enviou consoladores? não te enviou ele os seus servos para reconhecerem a cidade, a espiarem e a derrubarem?

4 Tomou Hanum os servos de Davi, e mandou-lhes rapar a metade da barba e, cortando-lhe a metade dos vestidos até o alto das coxas, despediu-os.

5 Quando isso foi dito a Davi, enviou a encontrá-los, porque estavam os homens sobremaneira envergonhados. Mandou o rei dizer-lhes: Deixai-vos estar em Jericó, até que vos cresça a barba, e então voltareis.

6 Vendo os filhos de Amom que se haviam feito abomináveis para com Davi, enviaram e alugaram dos filhos dos siros de Bete-Reobe, e dos siros de Zobá, vinte mil homens de pé, e do rei de Maaca mil homens, e dos homens de Tobe doze mil.

7 O que ouvindo Davi, enviou Joabe com toda a hoste dos valentes.

8 Saíram os filhos de Amom, e ordenaram a batalha à entrada da porta, e os siros de Zobá e de Reobe, e os homens de Tobe e Maaca estavam à parte no campo.

9 Vendo Joabe que estava preparada a batalha contra ele, assim pela frente como pela retaguarda, escolheu dentre toda a flor de Israel um corpo, que formou em linha de batalha contra os siros;

10 e o resto do povo, entregou-o a seu irmão Abisai, que o formou em linha de batalha contra os filhos de Amom.

11 Ele disse: Se os siros prevalecerem contra mim, tu me virás em socorro; mas se os filhos de Amom prevalecerem contra ti, eu irei ao teu socorro.

12 Tem bom ânimo, e sejamos corajosos pelo nosso povo e pelas cidades do nosso Deus; e faça Jeová o que bem lhe parecer.

13 Travou Joabe, e o povo que estava com ele, a peleja contra os siros, que fugiram de diante dele.

14 Vendo os filhos de Amom que os siros tinham fugido, fugiram também eles de diante de Abisai, e entraram na cidade. Então Joabe voltou dos filhos de Amom, e foi a Jerusalém.

15 Vendo os siros que tinham sido desbaratados diante de Israel, tornaram a refazer-se.

16 Enviou Hadadezer, e fez sair os siros que estavam da outra banda do rio; vieram a Helã, e diante deles marchava Soboque, general do exército de Hadadezer.

17 Davi, informado disso, ajuntou a todo o Israel, passou o Jordão e foi a Helã. Os siros dispuseram-se em linha de batalha contra Davi e pelejaram contra ele.

18 Mas os siros fugiram de diante de Israel; Davi matou deles os homens de setecentos carros, e quarenta mil homens de cavalo, e feriu a Soboque, general do exército, de sorte que morreu ali.

19 Vendo todos os reis, servos de Hadadezer, que estavam desbaratados diante de Israel, fizeram pazes com Israel, e os serviram. Temeram os siros de socorrer mais aos filhos de Amom.

1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. 2 Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon. 3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it? 4 Wherefore 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 unto David, he sent to meet them, because 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 stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob twelve thousand men. 7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. 8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field. 9 When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians: 10 And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon. 11 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 come and help thee. 12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good. 13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him. 14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them. 17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over 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 slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there. 19 And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.