2 Samuel

And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

1Later on, the king of the people of Ammon died. His son Hanun became the new king.

2Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

2David said, "Hanun's father Nahash was kind to me. So I will be kind to Hanun." David sent some of his men to tell Hanun he was sorry his father had died. The men came to the land of Ammon.

3And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

3But the leaders of Ammon said to Hanun their king, "Do you really think David sent these men to honor your father? David sent them to look at our city. They are spies. They want to take it from us."

4Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

4So Hanun grabbed David's men. He shaved off half of each man's beard. He cut their clothes off at the hips. Then he sent them away.

NoteMen in that time wore beards with pride. Shaving off half a man's beard and cutting his clothes short was meant to shame him in front of everyone.

5When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

5Someone told David what had happened. The men felt very ashamed. So David sent word to them. He said, "Stay in the town of Jericho until your beards grow back. Then come home."

6And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.

6The people of Ammon knew David was very angry with them. So they paid soldiers to fight for them. They hired twenty thousand walking soldiers from the Syrian towns of Bethrehob and Zoba. They hired a thousand men from the king of Maacah. They hired twelve thousand men from Ishtob.

NoteThe KJV says the Ammonites "stank before David." That is an old way of saying David was disgusted and angry with them.

7And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

7David heard about this. He sent out Joab, his army leader, with all his best fighters.

8And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

8The soldiers of Ammon came out and lined up by the city gate. The Syrians from Zoba and Rehob, and the men from Ishtob and Maacah, stood apart in the open field.

9When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:

9Joab saw that enemies were in front of him and behind him. So he picked out the best fighters in Israel. He lined them up to face the Syrians.

10And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.

10He put the rest of the men under his brother Abishai. Abishai lined them up to face the soldiers of Ammon.

11And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.

11Joab said to his brother, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, come and help me. If the men of Ammon are too strong for you, I will come and help you.

12Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.

12Be brave. Let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what he thinks is best."

NoteThe KJV says "let us play the men." That does not mean acting or pretending. It means "let us be brave and fight like strong men."

13And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

13Then Joab and his men moved forward to fight the Syrians. The Syrians ran away from them.

14And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

14The men of Ammon saw the Syrians run away. So they ran away from Abishai too. They went back inside their city. Then Joab stopped fighting Ammon and went home to Jerusalem.

15And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

15The Syrians saw that Israel had beaten them. So they gathered together again.

16And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

16Hadarezer sent for more Syrians from the far side of the big river. They came to a place called Helam. Shobach, the leader of Hadarezer's army, led them.

Note"The river" here means the Euphrates, a very big river far to the north and east.

17And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

17Someone told David about this. So David gathered all Israel together. They crossed the Jordan River and came to Helam. The Syrians lined up to fight David, and the battle began.

18And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.

18But the Syrians ran away from Israel. David killed the men who drove seven hundred chariots. He killed forty thousand more of their soldiers. He also struck down Shobach, their army leader, who died there.

19And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

19All the kings who worked for Hadarezer saw that Israel had beaten them. So they made peace with Israel and served them. After that, the Syrians were too afraid to help Ammon again.