Study Desk

So Hanun took David's servants and ^(C1)shaved off half of their beards, and ^(C2)cut off their robes in the middle as far as their buttocks, and sent them away.

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."

Now when the sons of Ammon saw that ^(C1)they had become repulsive to David, the sons of Ammon sent messengers and ^(C2)hired the Arameans of ^(C3)Beth-rehob and the ^(C4)Arameans of Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, and the king of ^(C5)Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob with twelve thousand men.

When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all the army, the warriors.

And the sons of Ammon came out and lined up for battle ^(C1)at the entrance of the ^(F1)city, while the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of ^(C2)Tob and Maacah were stationed by themselves in the field.

Now when Joab saw that ^(F1)the 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.

But the remainder of the people he placed ^(F1)under the command of his brother Abishai, and he lined them up against the sons of Ammon.

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.

"^(C1)Be strong, and let's show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and the cities of our God; and ^(C2)may the LORD do what is good in His sight."

So Joab and the people who were with him advanced to the battle against the Arameans, and ^(C1)they fled from him.

When the sons of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from Abishai and entered the city. ^(C1)Then Joab returned from fighting against the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.