Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
2 Samuel 10
David Sends Comfort to Hanun
After this the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son became king in his place. David said, “I will show steadfast love to Hanun son of Nahash, as his father showed steadfast love to me.” So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon. But the officials of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father in your eyes because he sent comforters to you? Has David not sent his servants to you to search the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?” So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half their beards, cut off their garments in the middle as far as their buttocks, and sent them away. When they told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return.”
Ammon Hires Aramean Forces
When the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired Aram-Beth-Rehob and Aram-Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of Maacah with one thousand men, and the men of Tob with twelve thousand men. When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.
Joab Faces Two Battle Fronts
The children of Ammon came out and arranged themselves for battle at the entrance of the gate, while Aram-Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the field. Joab saw that the face of the battle was against him in front and behind. He chose from all the choice men of Israel and arranged them against Aram. The rest of the people he gave into the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arranged them against the children of Ammon. He said, “If Aram is too strong for me, then you will save me. But if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to save you. Be strong, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what is good in his eyes.”
The Arameans Flee
Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against Aram, and they fled before him. When the children of Ammon saw that Aram had fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from the children of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.
Hadadezer Summons More Arameans
When Aram saw that they had been struck before Israel, they gathered themselves together. Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River, and they came to Helam, with Shobach, commander of Hadadezer’s army, before them. It was reported to David, and he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Arameans arranged themselves against David and fought with him. Yet Aram fled before Israel, and David killed from Aram the men of seven hundred chariots and forty thousand horsemen. He also struck Shobach, commander of their army, and he died there. When all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been struck before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. And Aram was afraid to save the children of Ammon any more.