5
Some people reported to David how the men had been treated. He sent a delegation to meet them, because the men had been deeply humiliated. The king said, "Stay in Yericho until your beards have grown back, and then return."
6
Aware that they had made themselves utterly abhorrent to David, Hanun and the people of 'Amon sent thirty-three tons of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-Naharayim, Aram-Ma'akhah and Tzovah.
7
They hired 32,000 chariots, as well as the king of Ma'akhah with his people, who came and pitched their camp in front of Meidva. Then the people of 'Amon assembled themselves from their cities and went out to fight.
8
When David heard of it, he sent Yo'av with his entire army of trained soldiers.
9
The army of 'Amon came out and went into battle formation at the city gate, while the kings who had come were alone in the countryside.
10
When Yo'av saw that he would be fighting on two fronts, ahead and behind, he chose the best troops of Isra'el to deploy against Aram;
11
while the rest of the army he put under the command of Avishai his brother to deploy against the army of 'Amon.
12
He said, "If Aram is too strong for me, you help me; but if the army of 'Amon is too strong for you, then I will help you.
13
Take courage, and let's be strong for the sake of our people and the cities of our God. May ADONAI do what seems good to him."
14
So Yo'av and the people with him went to engage Aram in battle, and they fled before him.
15
When the people of 'Amon saw that Aram had fled, they likewise fled before Avishai his brother and retreated into the city. Then Yo'av went to Yerushalayim.