1 Chronicles, 19

1. Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.

1. Afterwards Nahash, king of the Ammonites, died and his son Hanun became king.

2. And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.

2. David thought, "I will show kindness to Hanun, son of Nahash, since his father was kind to me." And David sent messengers with his condolences on his father's death. But when David's servants reached Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to present these condolences,

3. But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?

3. the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, "Do you think David means to honor your father when he sends you messengers of sympathy? On the contrary he has sent them here as spies to explore the land, so that he can conquer it."

4. Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.

4. Hanun had David's servants seized, shaved their beards, cut their clothes half-way up to the hips and sent them away.

5. Then there went [certain], and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and [then] return.

5. As soon as David was told what had happened to these men, he sent someone to meet them, for the men were too ashamed to return home. And he said, "Stay in Jericho, until your beards have grown again, and come back then."

6. And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah.

6. The Ammonites saw that they had made David their enemy and so Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from the Aramaeans of Upper Mesopotamia, of Maacah and of Zobah.

7. So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.

7. They hired thirty-two thousand chariots; also the king of Maacah with his army. These came and encamped before Medeba, while the Ammonites came out from all their cities and got ready to fight.

8. And when David heard [of it], he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

8. When David heard this, he sent Joab with the whole army and the warriors.

9. And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come [were] by themselves in the field.

9. The Ammonites marched out and took up their positions at the entrance to the town, but the kings who had come remained in the open country.

10. Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put [them] in array against the Syrians.

10. Joab, seeing that he had to fight on two fronts, to his front and to his rear, chose the best fighters of the Israelites and drew them up in line facing the Aramaeans.

11. And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set [themselves] in array against the children of Ammon.

11. He placed the rest of the troops under the command of his brother Abishai, to face the Ammonites. He said to him,

12. 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 help thee.

12. "If the Aramaeans prove too strong for me, you shall come to my help; if the Ammonites prove too strong for you, I will come to yours.

13. Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do [that which is] good in his sight.

13. Take courage and fight hard for the sake of our people and the towns of our God. And may Yahweh do as he thinks right."

14. So Joab and the people that [were] with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.

14. Joab and the force with him advanced to attack the Aramaeans,who fled before him.

15. And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

15. When the Ammonites saw that the Aramaeans were running away, they too fled before Abishai, Joab's brother, and withdrew into their town. Then Joab came back to Jerusalem.

16. And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that [were] beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer [went] before them.

16. Seeing that they had been defeated by Israel, the Aramaeans sent messengers and mobilized the Aramaeans from beyond the river, with Shophach, commander of Hadadezer's army, at their head.

17. And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set [the battle] in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.

17. News of this was brought to David, who gathered the Israelite troops, crossed the Jordan, and met them. David drew up his line of battle facing the Aramaeans, and the fighting began.

18. But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand [men which fought in] chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.

18. But the Aramaeans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their chariot teams and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach, their general.

19. And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.

19. When the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. After this the Aramaeans refused to give help to the Ammonites.