^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.