^aSucedió después de esto que murió el rey de los hijos de Amón^b, y su hijo Hanún reinó en su lugar. 2 Y David dijo: Seré bondadoso con Hanún, hijo de Nahas^a, tal como su padre fue bondadoso conmigo. Envió, pues, David algunos¹ de sus siervos para consolarlo por la muerte de su padre. Pero cuando los siervos de David llegaron a la tierra de los amonitas, 3 los príncipes de los amonitas dijeron a Hanún su señor: ¿Crees tú que David está¹ honrando a tu padre porque te ha enviado consoladores? ¿No te ha enviado David sus siervos para reconocer la ciudad, para espiarla y conquistarla^a? 4 Entonces Hanún tomó a los siervos de David, les rasuró la mitad de la barba, les cortó los vestidos^a por la mitad hasta las caderas, y los despidió^b. 5 Cuando le avisaron a David, envió a encontrarlos, porque los hombres estaban sumamente avergonzados. Y el rey les dijo: Quedaos en¹ Jericó hasta que os crezca la barba, y después volved.

6 Al ver los hijos de Amón que se habían hecho odiosos a David^a, los hijos de Amón mandaron a tomar a sueldo a los arameos de Bet-rehob^b y a los arameos de Soba^c, veinte mil soldados de a pie, y del rey de Maaca^d mil hombres, y de Is-tob doce mil hombres^e. 7 Cuando David se enteró, envió a Joab y a todo el ejército de los valientes. 8 Y los hijos de Amón salieron y se pusieron en orden de batalla a la entrada de la ciudad^1a, mientras que los arameos de Soba y de Rehob y los hombres de Is-tob^b y de Maaca estaban aparte en el campo.

9 Viendo Joab que se le presentaba batalla¹ por el frente y por la retaguardia, escogió de entre todos los mejores hombres de Israel, y los puso en orden de batalla contra los arameos. 10 Al resto del pueblo lo colocó al mando de su hermano Abisai y lo puso en orden de batalla contra los hijos de Amón. 11 Y dijo: Si los arameos son demasiado fuertes para mí, entonces tú me ayudarás, y si los hijos de Amón son demasiado fuertes para ti, entonces vendré en tu ayuda. 12 Esfuérzate, y mostrémonos valientes por amor a nuestro pueblo y por amor a las ciudades de nuestro Dios^a; y que el SEÑOR haga lo que le parezca bien^1b. 13 Entonces se acercó Joab con el pueblo que estaba con él para pelear contra los arameos, yestos huyeron delante de él^a. 14 Cuando los hijos de Amón vieron que los arameos huían, ellos también huyeron delante de Abisai y entraron en la ciudad. Entonces Joab se volvió de pelear contra los hijos de Amón y vino a Jerusalén^a.

15 Al ver los arameos que habían sido derrotados por¹ Israel, volvieron a concentrarse. 16 Hadad-ezer mandó sacar a los arameos que estaban al otro lado del río¹ y fueron a Helam; y Sobac^a, comandante del ejército de Hadad-ezer, iba al frente de ellos^b. 17 Cuando se dio aviso a David,este reunió a todo Israel, cruzó el Jordán y llegó a Helam. Los arameos se pusieron en orden de batalla para enfrentarse a David, y pelearon contra él. 18 Pero los arameos huyeron delante de Israel, y David mató a setecientos hombres de los carros de los arameos, y a cuarenta mil hombres de a caballo, e hirió a Sobac, comandante de su ejército^a, el cual murió allí. 19 Cuando todos los reyes, siervos de Hadad-ezer, vieron que habían sido derrotados por¹ Israel, hicieron la paz con Israel y le sirvieron^a. Y los arameos tuvieron temor de ayudar más a los hijos de Amón.

^aNow it happened afterward that ^bthe king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of ^aNahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent ¹some of his servants to console him about his father. But when David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites, 3 the commanders of the Ammonites said to their lord Hanun, “¹Do you think that David is simply honoring your father since he has sent you servants ²to console you? ^aHas David not sent his servants to you in order to explore the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants and ^ashaved off half of their beards, and ^bcut off their robes in the middle as far as their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 When messengers informed David, he sent servants to meet them, because the men were extremely humiliated. And the king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, and then you shall return.”

6 Now when the sons of Ammon saw that ^athey had become repulsive to David, the sons of Ammon sent messengers and ^bhired the Arameans of ^cBeth-rehob and the ^dArameans of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of ^eMaacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob with twelve thousand men. 7 When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all the army, the warriors. 8 And the sons of Ammon came out and lined up for battle ^aat the entrance of the ¹city, while the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of ^bTob and Maacah were stationed by themselves in the field.

9 Now when Joab saw that ¹the battle was set against him at the front and at the rear, he selected warriors from all the choice men in Israel, and lined them up against the Arameans. 10 But the remainder of the people he placed ¹under the command of his brother Abishai, and he lined them up against the sons of Ammon. 11 And he said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you. 12 ^aBe strong, and let’s show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and the cities of our God; and ^bmay the LORD do what is good in His sight.” 13 So Joab and the people who were with him advanced to the battle against the Arameans, and ^athey fled from him. 14 When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from Abishai and entered the city. ^aThen Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

15 When the Arameans saw that they had been ¹defeated by Israel, they assembled together. 16 ^aAnd Hadadezer sent word and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam; and ^bShobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer ¹led them. 17 Now when it was reported to David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Arameans lined up against David and fought him. 18 But the Arameans fled from Israel, and David killed ^aseven hundred charioteers of the Arameans and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there. 19 When all the kings, servants of Hadadezer, saw that they had been ¹defeated by Israel, ^athey made peace with Israel and served them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the sons of Ammon anymore.

^aNow it happened afterwards that ^bthe king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son became king in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of ^aNahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent ¹some of his servants to console him concerning his father. But when David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites, 3 the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “¹Do you think that David is honoring your father because he has sent consolers to you? ^aHas David not sent his servants to you in order to search the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants and ^ashaved off half of their beards, and ^bcut off their garments in the middle as far as their hips, and sent them away. 5 When they told it to David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said, “¹Stay at Jericho until your beards grow, and then return.”

6 Now when the sons of Ammon saw that ^athey had become odious to David, the sons of Ammon sent and ^bhired the Arameans of ^cBeth-rehob and the ^dArameans of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of ^eMaacah with 1,000 men, and the men of Tob with 12,000 men. 7 When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army, the mighty men. 8 The sons of Ammon came out and drew up in battle array ^aat the entrance of the ¹city, while the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of ^bTob and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

9 Now when Joab saw that ¹the battle was set against him in front and in the rear, he selected from all the choice men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Arameans. 10 But the remainder of the people he placed in the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the sons of Ammon. 11 He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you. 12 ^aBe strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and ^bmay the LORD do what is good in His sight.” 13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle against the Arameans, and ^athey fled before him. 14 When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city. ^aThen Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.

15 When the Arameans saw that they had been ¹defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 ^aAnd Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the ¹River, and they came to Helam; and ^bShobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer ²led them. 17 Now when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Arameans arrayed themselves to meet David and fought against him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed ^a700 charioteers of the Arameans and 40,000 horsemen and struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there. 19 When all the kings, servants of Hadadezer, saw that they were ¹defeated by Israel, ^athey made peace with Israel and served them. So the Arameans feared to help the sons of Ammon anymore.