191 Now it came about after this , that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon died , and his son became king in his place . 2 Then David said , "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash , because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father . And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon to Hanun to console him. 3 But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun , "Do you think that David is honoring your father , in that he has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land ?" 4 So Hanun took David's servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips , and sent them away . 5 Then certain persons went and told David about the men . And he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated . And the king said , "Stay at Jericho until e your beards grow , and then return ."
6 When the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David , Hanun and the sons of Ammon sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia , from Aram-maacah e and from Zobah . 7 So they hired for themselves 32,000 e e chariots , and the king of Maacah and his people , who came and camped before Medeba . And the sons of Ammon gathered together from their cities and came to battle . 8 When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army , the mighty men . 9 The sons of Ammon came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city , and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field . 10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and in the rear , he selected from all the choice men of Israel and they arrayed themselves against the Arameans . 11 But the remainder of the people he placed in the hand of Abshai his brother ; and they arrayed themselves against the sons of Ammon . 12 He said , "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help e me; but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 "Be strong , and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God ; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight ." 14 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Arameans , and they fled before e him. 15 When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled , they also fled before e Abshai his brother and entered the city . Then Joab came to Jerusalem . 16 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel , they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans who were beyond e the River , with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer leading them. 17 When it was told David , he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan , and came upon them and drew up in formation against them. And when David drew up in battle array against the Arameans , they fought against him. 18 The Arameans fled before e Israel , and David killed of the Arameans 7,000 e charioteers and 40,000 e foot soldiers e , and put to death Shophach the commander of the army . 19 So when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel , they made peace with David and served him. Thus the Arameans were not willing to help the sons of Ammon anymore .
