2 Samuel 10

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 After this, when the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him,	1 Some time later the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king.
2 David thought, 'I shal show Hanun son of Nahash the same faithful love as his father showed me.'And David sent his representatives to offer him condolences over his father. But, when David's representativesreached the Ammonites' country,	2 David thought, "I will be kind to Hanun, son of Nahash, as his father was kind to me." So David sent his servants with condolences to Hanun for the loss of his father. But when David's servants entered the country of the Ammonites,
3 the Ammonite princes said to Hanun their master, 'Do you really think David means to honour yourfather when he sends you messengers with sympathy? On the contrary, the reason why David has sent hisrepresentatives to you is to explore the city, to reconnoitre and so overthrow it.'	3 the Ammonite princes said to their lord Hanun: "Do you think that David is honoring your father by sending men with condolences? Is it not rather to explore the city, to spy on it, and to overthrow it, that David has sent his messengers to you?"
4 Whereupon Hanun seized David's representatives, shaved off half their beards, cut their clothes offhalfway up, at their buttocks, and sent them away.	4 Hanun, therefore, seized David's servants and, after shaving off half their beards and cutting away the lower halves of their garments at the buttocks, sent them away.
5 When David was told, he sent someone to meet them, since the men were overcome with shame.'Stay in Jericho', the king said, 'until your beards have grown again, and come back then.'	5 When he was told of it, King David sent out word to them, since the men were quite ashamed. "Stay in Jericho until your beards grow," he said, "and then come back."
6 When the Ammonites realised that they had antagonised David, they sent agents to hire twentythousand foot soldiers from the Aramaeans of Beth-Rehob and the Aramaeans of Zobah, one thousand menfrom the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from the prince of Tob.	6 In view of the offense they had given to David, the Ammonites sent for and hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and twelve thousand men from Tob.
7 When David heard this, he sent Joab with the whole army, the champions.	7 On learning this, David sent out Joab with the entire levy of trained soldiers.
8 The Ammonites marched out and drew up their line of battle at the city gate, while the Aramaeans ofZobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah kept their distance in the open country.	8 The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah remained apart in the open country.
9 Joab, seeing that he had to fight on two fronts, to his front and to his rear, chose the best of Israel'spicked men and drew them up in line facing the Aramaeans.	9 When Joab saw the battle lines drawn up against him, both front and rear, he made a selection from all the picked troops of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.
10 He entrusted the rest of the army to his brother Abishai, and drew them up in line facing theAmmonites.	10 He placed the rest of the soldiers under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites.
11 'If the Aramaeans prove too strong for me,' he said, 'you must come to my help; if the Ammonitesprove too strong for you, I shal come to yours.	11 Joab said, "If the Arameans are stronger than I, you shall help me. But if the Ammonites are stronger than you, I will come to help you.
12 Be brave! Let us acquit ourselves like men for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God.And let Yahweh do as he thinks right!'	12 Be brave; let us prove our valor for the sake of our people and the cities of our God; the LORD will do what he judges best."
13 Joab and the force with him joined battle with the Aramaeans, who fled at his onslaught.	13 When Joab and the soldiers who were with him approached the Arameans for battle, they fled before him.
14 When the Ammonites saw that the Aramaeans had fled, they too fled from Abishai and withdrew intothe city. Hence, Joab broke off his campaign against the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.	14 The Ammonites, seeing that the Arameans had fled, also fled from Abishai and withdrew into the city. Joab then ceased his attack on the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.
15 The Aramaeans, realising that Israel had got the better of them, concentrated their forces.	15 Then the Arameans responded to their defeat by Israel with a full mustering of troops;
16 Hadadezer sent messengers and mobilised the Aramaeans living on the other side of the river; andthese arrived at Helam, with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer's army, at their head.	16 Hadadezer sent for and enlisted Arameans from beyond the Euphrates. They came to Helam, with Shobach, general of Hadadezer's army, at their head.
17 David, being informed of this, mustered al Israel, crossed the Jordan and arrived at Helam. TheAramaeans drew up in line facing David and engaged him.	17 On receiving this news, David assembled all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. The Arameans drew up in formation against David and fought with him.
18 But the Aramaeans fled from Israel, and David kil ed seven hundred of their chariot teams and fortythousand men; he also cut down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there.	18 But the Arameans gave way before Israel, and David's men killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand of the Aramean foot soldiers. Shobach, general of the army, was struck down and died on the field.
19 When al Hadadezer's vassal kings saw that Israel had got the better of them, they made peace withthe Israelites and became their subjects. The Aramaeans were afraid to give any more help to the Ammonites.	19 All of Hadadezer's vassal kings, in view of their defeat by Israel, then made peace with the Israelites and became their subjects. And the Arameans were afraid to give further aid to the Ammonites.