4
So HanuntookDavid'sservants and shaved them and cutoff their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away.
5
Then certain persons went and toldDavidabout the men. And he sent to meet them, for the men were greatlyhumiliated. And the kingsaid, "Stay at Jerichountil* your beardsgrow, and then return."
6
When the sons of Ammonsaw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the sons of Ammonsent1,000talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah* and 1from Zobah.
7
So they hired for themselves 32,000**chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and campedbefore2Medeba. And the sons of Ammongathered together from their cities and came to battle.
8
When Davidheard of it, he sentJoab and all the army, the mightymen.
9
The sons of Ammoncame out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kingswho had come were by themselves in the field.
Ammon and Aram Defeated
10 Now when Joabsaw that the battle was set against him in front and in the rear, he selected from all the choice men of Israel and they arrayed themselves against the Arameans.
11
But the remainder of the people he placed in the hand of Abshai his brother; and they arrayed themselves against the sons of Ammon.
12
He said, "If the Arameans are toostrong for me, then you shall help* me; but if the sons of Ammon are toostrong for you, then I will help you.
13
"Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORDdowhat is good in His sight."
14
So Joab and the peoplewho were with him drewnear to the battleagainst the Arameans, and they fledbefore* him.
The eighteenth and nineteenth chapters are the same with 2Sa 8:1-10:19, 20:1-26 with very little variations, which are observed in the notes on them, to which the reader is referred. 18867-950102-2024-1Ch19.2