David's Kindness Returned with Shame
19 1 Some time later, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son became king in his place. 2 David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent messengers to console him over his father. But when David's servants came to the land of the Ammonites, to Hanun, to console him,
3 the commanders of the Ammonites said to Hanun, "Do you really think David is honoring your father by sending you men to comfort you? Haven't his servants come to you to search out the land, to overthrow it and spy on it?" 4 So Hanun seized David's servants, shaved them, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away. 5 When they went and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, because the men were deeply humiliated. The king said, "Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, and then return."
6 When the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah. 7 They hired thirty-two thousand chariots, along with the king of Maacah and his troops, who came and camped near Medeba. The Ammonites also gathered from their cities and came out to fight.
8 When David heard of it, he sent Joab and the whole army of fighting men. 9 The Ammonites marched out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open field.
Our Father Grants the Victory
10 Joab saw that the battle lines faced him both in front and behind, so he chose some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. 11 The rest of the men he placed under the command of Abishai his brother, and they deployed against the Ammonites.
12 Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. 13 Be strong, and let us fight courageously for our people and for the cities of our Father, and may our Father do what is good in his sight."
14 Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. 15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai his brother and retreated into the city. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem.
16 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer's army leading them.
17 When David was told, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced against them, and drew up his battle lines. David arrayed his forces to meet the Arameans, and they fought against him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shophach the commander of their army.
19 When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.