1 Chronicles 19

After this, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son reigned in his place. David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites, to Hanun, to comfort him. But the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to comfort you? Have his servants not come to you to investigate, overthrow, and spy out the land?” So Hanun seized David’s servants, shaved them, cut their robes in half at the buttocks, and sent them away. Some men went and told David about them, and he sent messengers to meet them, for they were deeply ashamed. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back; then return.” When the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves hateful to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent about 75,000 pounds of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah. They hired 32,000 chariots, along with the king of Maacah and his people. They came and camped before Medeba, while the Ammonites gathered from their cities and came to battle. When David heard about it, he sent Joab and the whole army of mighty warriors. The Ammonites came out and took up battle formation at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country. When Joab saw that the battle was facing him both in front and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best men and drew them up against the Arameans. He put the rest of the troops under the command of his brother Abishai, and they drew up against the Ammonites. He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, you must come to my help. But if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will help you. Be strong, and let us show courage for our people and the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in his sight.” Joab and the troops with him advanced to battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him. When the Ammonites saw the Arameans fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem. When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans from beyond the river. Shophach, the commander of Hadadezer’s army, led them. When David was told, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, came to them, and drew up against them. David formed his battle lines against the Arameans, and they fought against him. The Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed 7,000 chariot troops and 40,000 foot soldiers of the Arameans. He also put Shophach, the army commander, to death. When Hadadezer’s servants saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. The Arameans were unwilling to help the Ammonites again.

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