1 Chronicles 19

1-2 Some time after this Nahash king of the Ammonites died and his son succeeded him as king. David said, "I'd like to show some kindness to Hanun son of Nahash—treat him as well and as kindly as his father treated me." So David sent condolences about his father's death.

3  But when David's servants arrived in Ammonite country and came to Hanun to bring condolences, the Ammonite leaders warned Hanun, "Do you for a minute suppose that David is honoring your father by sending you comforters? Don't you know that he's sent these men to snoop around the city and size it up so that he can capture it?"

4  So Hanun seized David's men, shaved them clean, cut off their robes half way up their buttocks, and sent them packing.

5  When this was all reported to David, he sent someone to meet them, for they were seriously humiliated. The king told them, "Stay in Jericho until your beards grow out; only then come back."

6-7  When it dawned on the Ammonites that as far as David was concerned, they stank to high heaven, they hired, at a cost of a thousand talents of silver (thirty-seven and a half tons!), chariots and horsemen from the Arameans of Naharaim, Maacah, and Zobah—thirty-two thousand chariots and drivers; plus the king of Maacah with his troops who came and set up camp at Medeba; the Ammonites, too, were mobilized from their cities and got ready for battle.

8  When David heard this, he dispatched Joab with his strongest fighters in full force.

9-13  The Ammonites marched out and spread out in battle formation at the city gate; the kings who had come as allies took up a position in the open fields. When Joab saw that he had two fronts to fight, before and behind, he took his pick of the best of Israel and deployed them to confront the Arameans. The rest of the army he put under the command of Abishai, his brother, and deployed them to deal with the Ammonites. Then he said, "If the Arameans are too much for me, you help me; and if the Ammonites prove too much for you, I'll come and help you. Courage! We'll fight might and main for our people and for the cities of our God. And God will do whatever he sees needs doing!"

14-15  But when Joab and his soldiers moved in to fight the Arameans, they ran off in full retreat. Then the Ammonites, seeing the Arameans run for dear life, took to their heels and ran from Abishai into the city.
So Joab withdrew from the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.

16  When the Arameans saw how badly they'd been beaten by Israel, they picked up the pieces and regrouped; they sent for the Arameans who were across the river; Shophach, commander of Hadadezer's army, led them.

17-19  When all this was reported to David, he mustered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced, and prepared to fight. The Arameans went into battle formation, ready for David, and the fight was on. But the Arameans again scattered before Israel. David killed seven thousand chariot drivers and forty thousand infantry. He also killed Shophach, the army commander. When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. The Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites ever again.

1 Chronicles 19

David’s Campaign against the Ammonites

1 Later King Nahash of the Ammonites died and his son succeeded him.2 David said, “I will express my loyaltyt to Hanun son of Nahash, for his father was loyalt to me.” So David sent messengers to express his sympathy over his father’s death.t When David’s servants entered Ammonite territory to visit Hanun and express the king’s sympathy,t3 the Ammonite officials said to Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy?t No, his servants have come to you so they can get information and spy out the land!”s4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved their beards off.t He cut off the lower part of their robes so that their buttocks were exposedt and then sent them away.

5 Messengerst came and told David what had happened to the men, so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jerichos until your beards grow again; then you may come back.”
6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them,t Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talentst of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah, and Zobah.t

7 They hired 32,000 chariots, along with the king of Maacah and his army, who came and camped in front of Medeba. The Ammonites also assembled from their cities and marched out to do battle.
8 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them.t9 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.10 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans.st11 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army and they were deployed against the Ammonites.12 Joabt said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me,t you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you,t I will come to your rescue.13 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!”t14 So Joab and his ment marched toward the Arameans to do battle, and they fled before him.

15 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before Joab’st brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. Joab went back to Jerusalem.s
16 When the Arameans realized they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for reinforcements from beyond the Euphrates River,t led by Shophach the commanding general of Hadadezer’s army.t17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River,t and marched against them.st David deployed his army against the Arameans for battle and they fought against him.t18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 7,000s Aramean charioteers and 40,000 infantrymen; he also killed Shophacht the commanding general.

19 When Hadadezer’s subjects saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.