I Chronicles 19 The King of the Ammonites Rebukes David's Messengers, and David Punishes Him

 I Chronicles 19

The King of the Ammonites Rebukes David's Messengers, and David Punishes Him

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

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

3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun, Doth David honour thy father in thy sight, because he hath sent comforters unto thee? Did not his servants come unto thee to search, and to overturn, and to spy out the land?

4 So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst, even to the thigh, and sent them away.

5 So they went and told David about these men, and he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. So the king said, "Stay at Jericho until your beards grow back, and then return." 

6 When the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Aram, Maacah, and Zobah. 

7 So they hired thirty-two thousand chariots for themselves, along with the king of Maacah and his men. They came and camped before Medeba. The Ammonites also gathered together from their cities and came to battle. 

8 When David heard of this, he sent Joab and all the army of valiant men.

 9 The Ammonites came out and set the battle in array at the gate of the city, but the kings who had come stood apart in the field. 

10 When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of the choicest men of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians. 

11 The rest of the people he gave into the hand of Abishai his brother, and they put themselves in array against the Ammonites. 

12 He said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you must come to my aid; and if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your aid. 

13 Be strong, and let us fight for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord do what seems good to him.” 

14 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near against the Syrians to battle; but they fled before him. 

15 When the Ammonites saw that the Syrians had fled, they also fled before Abishai their brother and entered the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem. 

16 When the Syrians saw that they were defeated before Israel, they sent messengers and drove out the Syrians who lived beyond the River, and Ezer marched before them. 

17 When David was told, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came against them, and put the battle in array against them. When David put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought against him. 

18 But the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand chariot horses and forty thousand footmen of the Syrians, and he killed Shophach the captain of the army.

 19 When the servants of Hadarezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. The Syrians were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.