8
When David heard this, he dispatched Joab with his strongest fighters in full force.
9
The Ammonites marched out and spread out in battle formation at the city gate; the kings who had come as allies took up a position in the open fields.
10
When Joab saw that he had two fronts to fight, before and behind, he took his pick of the best of Israel and deployed them to confront the Arameans.
11
The rest of the army he put under the command of Abishai, his brother, and deployed them to deal with the Ammonites.
12
Then he said, "If the Arameans are too much for me, you help me; and if the Ammonites prove too much for you, I'll come and help you.
13
Courage! We'll fight might and main for our people and for the cities of our God. And God will do whatever he sees needs doing!"
14
But when Joab and his soldiers moved in to fight the Arameans, they ran off in full retreat.
15
Then the Ammonites, seeing the Arameans run for dear life, took to their heels and ran from Abishai into the city. So Joab withdrew from the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.
16
When the Arameans saw how badly they'd been beaten by Israel, they picked up the pieces and regrouped; they sent for the Arameans who were across the river; Shophach, commander of Hadadezer's army, led them.
17
When all this was reported to David, he mustered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced, and prepared to fight. The Arameans went into battle formation, ready for David, and the fight was on.
18
But the Arameans again scattered before Israel. David killed 7,000 chariot drivers and 40,000 infantry. He also killed Shophach, the army commander.