CHAPTER 10
1 Forsooth it was done after these things, that Nahash, [the] king of the sons of Ammon, died; and Hanun, his son, reigned for him,.
2 And David said, I shall do mercy with Hanun, the son of Nahash, as his father did mercy with me. There-fore David sent comforting to him by his servants on the death of the father. And when the servants of David had come into the land of the sons of Ammon,
3 the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, their lord, Guessest thou, that for the honour of thy father David hath sent comforters to thee; and not rather therefore David sent his servants to thee, that he should espy, and ensearch the city, and destroy it?
4 Therefore Hanun took the servants of David, and shaved half the part of the beard of them, and he cutted away the middle clothes of them, till to the buttocks; and let them go.
5 And when this was told to David, he sent into the coming of them, for the men were shamed full vilely. And David commanded to them, Dwell ye in Jericho, till your beard waxed, and then turn ye again.
6 And the sons of Ammon saw, that they had done wrong to David, and they sent, and hired with meed of Bethrehob of Syria, and of Zoba of Syria, twenty thousand of footmen, and of king Maacah, a thousand men, and of Ishtob, twelve thousand of men.
7 And when David had heard this, he sent Joab, and all the host of fighters.
8 Therefore the sons of Ammon went out, and dressed battle array before them in the entering of the gate. And Zoba, and Rehob of Syria, and Ishtob, and Maacah, were asides half in the field.
9 Therefore Joab saw, that the battle was made ready against him, both even against him and behind his back; and he chose to himself of all the chosen men of Israel, and ordained battle array against Syrians.
10 Forsooth he betook to Abishai, his brother, the tother part of the people, which dressed battle array against the sons of Ammon.
11 And Joab said, If men of Syria have the mastery against me, thou shalt be to me into help; and if the sons of Ammon have the mastery against thee, I shall help thee;
12 be thou a strong man, and fight we for our people, and for the city of our God; for the Lord shall do that, that is good in his sight.
13 Therefore Joab and the people that was with him, began battle against men of Syria, which fled anon from his face.
14 And the sons of Ammon saw, that [the] men of Syria had fled; and they fled also from the face of Abishai, and entered into the city; and Joab turned again from the sons of Ammon, and came into Jerusalem.
15 And [the] men of Syria saw that they had fallen before Israel, and they were gathered together.
16 And Hadadezer* sent, and led out [the] men of Syria that were beyond the flood, and he brought forth the host of them; and Shobach, [the] master of the chivalry of Hadadezer, was the prince of them.
17 And when this was told to David, he drew together all Israel, and he passed over Jordan, and came into Helam. And [the] men of Syria dressed battle array against David, and fought against him.
18 And Syrians fled from the face of Israel; and David killed of the Syrians the men in seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand of horsemen; and he smote Shobach, the prince of the chivalry, the which was dead anon.
19 And all the kings, that were in help of Hadadezer, saw that they were overcome of Israel, and they made peace with Israel, and served them; and the Syrians dreaded to give help to the sons of Ammon.
* CHAPTER 10:16 Also known as Hadarezer.