1 Chronicles 19

War with the Ammonites and Arameans

1 When Nahash king of the Ammonites died, his son became king after him.

2 David said, “Nahash was loyal to me, so I will be loyal to his son Hanun.” So David sent messengers to comfort Hanun about his father’s death.
David’s officers went to the land of the Ammonites to comfort Hanun.3 But the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, “Do you think David wants to honor your father by sending men to comfort you? No! David sent them to study the land and capture it and spy it out.”

4 So Hanun arrested David’s officers. To shame them he shaved their beards and cut off their clothes at the hips. Then he sent them away.

5 When the people told David what had happened to his officers, he sent messengers to meet them, because they were very ashamed. King David said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back. Then come home.”
6 The Ammonites knew that they had insulted David. So Hanun and the Ammonites sent about seventy-four thousand pounds of silver to hire chariots and chariot drivers from Northwest Mesopotamia, Aram Maacah, and Zobah.

7 The Ammonites hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah and his army. So they came and set up camp near the town of Medeba. The Ammonites themselves came out of their towns and got ready for battle.
8 When David heard about this, he sent Joab with the whole army.

9 The Ammonites came out and prepared for battle at the city gate. The kings who had come to help were out in the field by themselves.
10 Joab saw that there were enemies both in front of him and behind him. So he chose some of the best soldiers of Israel and sent them out to fight the Arameans.11 Joab put the rest of the army under the command of Abishai, his brother. Then they went out to fight the Ammonites.12 Joab said to Abishai, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, you must help me. Or, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will help you.

13 Be strong. We must fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what he thinks is right.”
14 Then Joab and the army with him went to attack the Arameans, and the Arameans ran away.

15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were running away, they also ran away from Joab’s brother Abishai and went back to their city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.

16 When the Arameans saw that Israel had defeated them, they sent messengers to bring other Arameans from east of the Euphrates River. Their leader was Shophach, the commander of Hadadezer’s army.
17 When David heard about this, he gathered all the Israelites, and they crossed over the Jordan River. He prepared them for battle, facing the Arameans. The Arameans fought with him,

18 but they ran away from the Israelites. David killed seven thousand Aramean chariot drivers and forty thousand Aramean foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach, the commander of the Aramean army.
19 When those who served Hadadezer saw that the Israelites had defeated them, they made peace with David and served him. So the Arameans refused to help the Ammonites 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.