1 After this, the king of the children of
Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned
in his place.

2 David said, “I will show kindness to
Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father
showed kindness to me.” So David sent by
his servants to comfort him concerning his
father. David’s servants came into the land
of the children of Ammon.

3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you
think that David honors your father, in
that he has sent comforters to you? Hasn’t
David sent his servants to you to search the
city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?”

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

5 When they told David this, he sent
to meet them, for the men were greatly
ashamed. The king said, “Wait at Jericho
until your beards have grown, and then
return.”

6 When the children of Ammon saw that
they had become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians
of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah,
twenty thousand footmen, and the king of
Maacah with one thousand men, and the
men of Tob twelve thousand men.

7 When David heard of it, he sent Joab
and all the army of the mighty men.

8 The children of Ammon came out, and
putthebattle inarray atthe entrance ofthe
gate. The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob
and the men of Tob and Maacah were by
themselves in the field.

9 Now when Joab saw that the battle
was set against him before and behind, he
chose of all the choice men of Israel and
put them in array against the Syrians.