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¹ And it happened afterward, the king of the Ammonites died. And his son Hanun reigned in his place.² And David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me. And David sent to comfort him concerning his father by the hand of his servants. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon.³ And the leaders of the sons of Ammon said to their lord Hanun. Is David honoring your father in your eyes, because he has sent comforters to you? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrowit?⁴ And Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half of their beards, and cut off their long robes in the center, to their buttocks; and he sent them away.⁵ And they told David, and he sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Remain in Jericho until your beard grows; then you shall return.

⁶ And the sons of Ammon saw that they were odious to David. And the sons of Ammon sent and hired Syrians from Beth-rehob, and Syrians from Zobah, twenty thousand footmen; and the king of Maacah with a thousand men; and the men of Tob⁷ And David heard, and he sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men.⁸ And the sons of Ammon came out and set the battle in order at the opening of the gate. And the Syrians of Zobah, and Rehob, and the men of Tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.⁹ And Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind. And he chose from all the chosen in Israel, and set them in order to meet the Syrians.¹⁰ And the rest of the people he gave into the hand of his brother Abishai, and he set in order to meet the sons of Ammon.¹¹ And he said, If the Syrians are stronger than I, then you shall be for me; and if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you, then I will come to help you.¹² Be strong, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God. And may Jehovah do that which seems good in His eyes.¹³ And Joab and the people with him drew near to battle against the Syrians. And they fled before him.¹⁴ And the sons of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, and they fled before Abishai, and went into the city. And Joab returned from the sons of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ And Syria saw that it was stricken before Israel. And they assembled.¹⁶ And Hadarezer sent and brought out the Syrians which were beyond the River. And they came to Helam, and Shobach was the commander of the army of Hadarezer before them.¹⁷ And it was told to David. And he gathered all Israel, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in order to meet David. And they fought with him.¹⁸ And the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed from Syria seven hundred in chariots, and forty thousand horsemen. And he struck Shobach the commander of the army, and he died there.¹⁹ And all the kings, the servants of Hadarezer, saw that they had been stricken before Israel. And they made peace with Israel, and served them. And Syria feared to help the sons of Ammon any more.