David's messengers, sent to comfort Hanun the son of Nahash, are villainously entreated.

1 ¶ Now it came to pass² after² this,¹² that Nahashº the kingº of the childrenº of Ammonº died,ºª and his sonº reignedºª in his stead.² 2 And Davidº said,ºª I will shewºª kindnessº unto² Hanunº the sonº of Nahash,º because² his fatherº shewedºª kindnessº to² me. And Davidº sentºª messengersº to comfortºª him concerning² his father.º So the servantsº of Davidº cameºª into² the landº of the childrenº of Ammonº to² Hanun,º to comfortºª him. 3 But the princesº of the childrenº of Ammonº saidºª to Hanun,º Thinkestº thou that Davidº doth honourºª² thy father,º that² he hath sentºª comfortersºª unto thee? are not² his servantsº comeºª unto² thee for² to search,ºª and to overthrow,ºª and to spy outºª the land?º 4 Wherefore Hanunº tookºª² David'sº servants,º and shavedºª them, and cut offºª² their garmentsº in the midstº hard by² their buttocks,º and sent them away.ºª 5 Then there went¹ª² [certain], and toldºª Davidº how² the men¹² were served. And he sentºª to meetºª them: for² the men¹² were² greatlyº ashamed.ºª And the kingº said,ºª Tarryºª at Jerichoº until²² your beardsº be grown,ºª and [then] return.ºª

The Ammonites, strengthened by the Syrians, are overcome by Joab and Abishai.

6 ¶ And when the childrenº of Ammonº sawºª that² they had made themselves odiousºª to² David,º Hanunº and the childrenº of Ammonº sentºª a thousandº talentsº of silverº to hireºª them chariotsº and horsemenº out of² Mesopotamia,º and out of² Syriamaachah,ºº and out of Zobah.º² 7 So they hiredºª thirtyº and twoº thousandº chariots,º and the kingº of Maachahº and his people;º who cameºª and pitchedºª beforeº Medeba.º And the childrenº of Ammonº gathered themselves togetherºª from their cities,º² and cameºª to battle.º 8 And when Davidº heardºª [of it], he sentºª² Joab,º and all² the hostº of the mighty men.º 9 And the childrenº of Ammonº came out,ºª and put the battle¹ in arrayºª² before the gateº of the city:º and the kingsº that² were comeºª [were] by themselves² in the field.º 10 Now when Joabº sawºª that² the battleº² was set² against² him beforeº and behind,º he chose² out¹ª of all²² the choiceºª of Israel,º and put [them] in arrayºª againstºª the Syrians.º 11 And the restº of the peopleº he deliveredºª unto the handº of Abishaiº his brother,º and they set [themselves] in arrayºª againstºª the childrenº of Ammon.º 12 And he said,ºª If² the Syriansº be too strongºª for² me, then thou shalt helpº² me: but if² the childrenº of Ammonº be too strongºª for² thee, then I will helpºª thee. 13 Be of good courage,ºª and let us behave ourselves valiantlyºª for² our people,º and for² the citiesº of our God:º and let the LORDº doºª [that which is] goodº in his sight.º 14 So Joabº and the peopleº that² [were] with² him drew nighºª beforeº the Syriansº unto the battle;º and they fledºª beforeº² him. 15 And when the childrenº of Ammonº sawºª that² the Syriansº were fled,ºª they² likewise² fledºª beforeº² Abishaiº his brother,º and enteredºª into the city.º Then Joabº cameºª to Jerusalem.º

Shophach, making a new supply of the Syrians, is slain by David.

16 ¶ And when the Syriansº sawºª that² they were put to the worseºª beforeº Israel,º they sentºª messengers,º and drew forthºª² the Syriansº that² [were] beyondº² the river:º and Shophachº the captainº of the hostº of Hadarezerº [went] beforeº them. 17 And it was toldºª David;º and he gatheredºª² all² Israel,º and passed overºª Jordan,º and cameºª upon² them, and set [the battle] in arrayºª² against² them. So when Davidº had put the battle¹ in arrayºª againstºª the Syrians,º they foughtºª with² him. 18 But the Syriansº fledºª beforeº² Israel;º and Davidº slewºª of the Syriansº² sevenº thousandº [men which fought in] chariots,º and fortyº thousandº footmen,ºº and killedºª Shophachº the captainº of the host.º 19 And when the servantsº of Hadarezerº sawºª that² they were put to the worseºª beforeº Israel,º they made peaceºª with² David,º and became his servants:ºª neither² wouldºª the Syriansº helpºª² the childrenº of Ammonº any more.²