1
Some time later, when Nachash the king of the people of 'Amon died, his son became king in his place.
2
David said, "I will be kind to Hanun the son of Nachash, because his father showed grace to me." So David sent messengers to comfort him about his father. David's servants entered the territory of the people of 'Amon to go to Hanun and comfort him;
3
but the leaders of the people of 'Amon said to Hanun, "Do you really think David is honoring your father by sending people to comfort you? Haven't his servants come to you in order to look the city over, overthrow it and reconnoiter the land?"
4
So Hanun took David's servants, shaved them, cut off their clothes halfway up, at their hips, and then sent them away.
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.