David's messengers, sent to comfort Hanun the son of Nahash, are villainously entreated.

1 ¶ And it came to pass² after² this,¹² that the kingº of the childrenº of Ammonº died,ºª and Hanunº his sonº reignedºª in his stead.² 2 Then saidºª David,º I will shewºª kindnessº unto² Hanunº the sonº of Nahash,º as² his fatherº shewedºª kindnessº unto² me. And Davidº sentºª to comfortºª him by the handº of his servantsº for² his father.º And David'sº servantsº cameºª into the landº of the childrenº of Ammon.º 3 And the princesº of the childrenº of Ammonº saidºª unto² Hanunº their lord,º Thinkestº thou that Davidº doth honourºª² thy father,º that² he hath sentºª comfortersºª unto thee? hath not² Davidº [rather] sentºª² his servantsº unto² thee, toº searchºª² the city,º and to spy it out,ºª and to overthrowºª it? 4 Wherefore Hanunº tookºª David'sº² servants,º and shaved offºª the² one halfº of their beards,º and cut offºª² their garmentsº in the middle,º [even] to² their buttocks,º and sent them away.ºª 5 When they toldºª [it] unto David,º he sentºª to meetºª them, because² the men¹² were² greatlyº ashamed:ºª and the kingº said,ºª Tarryºª at Jerichoº until² your beardsº be grown,ºª and [then] return.ºª

The Ammonites, strengthened by the Syrians, are overcome by Joab and Abishai.

6 ¶ And when the childrenº of Ammonº sawºª that² they stankºª before David,º the childrenº of Ammonº sentºª and hiredºª² the Syriansº of Bethrehob,º and the Syriansº of Zoba,º twentyº thousandº footmen,º and of kingº Maacahº a thousandº men,º and of Ishtobº twelveºº thousandº men.º 7 And when Davidº heardºª of [it], he sentºª² Joab,º and all² the hostº of the mighty men.º 8 And the childrenº of Ammonº came out,ºª and put the battleº in arrayºª at the entering² in¹ of the gate:º and the Syriansº of Zoba,º and of Rehob,º and Ishtob,º and Maacah,º [were] by themselvesº in the field.º 9 When Joabº sawºª that² the frontº of the battleº was² against² him beforeº² and behind,º² he choseºª of all²² the choiceºª [men] of Israel,º and put [them] in arrayºª againstºª the Syrians:º 10 And the restº of the peopleº he deliveredºª into the handº of Abishaiº his brother,º that he might put [them] in arrayºª againstºª the childrenº of Ammon.º 11 And he said,ºª If² the Syriansº be too strongºª for² me, then thou shalt² helpº me: but if² the childrenº of Ammonº be too strongºª for² thee, then I will comeºª and helpºª thee. 12 Be of good courage,ºª and let us play the menºª for² our people,º and for² the citiesº of our God:º and the LORDº doºª that which seemethº him good.º 13 And Joabº drew nigh,ºª and the peopleº that² [were] with² him, unto the battleº against the Syrians:º and they fledºª beforeº² him. 14 And when the childrenº of Ammonº sawºª that² the Syriansº were fled,ºª then fledºª they also beforeº² Abishai,º and enteredºª into the city.º So Joabº returnedºª from²² the childrenº of Ammon,º and cameºª to Jerusalem.º

Shobach, making a new supply of the Syrians at Helam, is slain by David.

15 ¶ And when the Syriansº sawºª that² they were smittenºª beforeº Israel,º they gathered¹ª themselves² together.º 16 And Hadarezerº sent,ºª and brought outºª² the Syriansº that² [were] beyondº² the river:º and they cameºª to Helam;º and Shobachº the captainº of the hostº of Hadarezerº [went] beforeº them. 17 And when it was toldºª David,º he gathered¹ª all Israel¹ together,ºª²²² and passed overºª² Jordan,º and cameºª to Helam.º And the Syriansº set themselves in arrayºª againstºª David,º and foughtºª with² him. 18 And the Syriansº fledºª beforeº² Israel;º and Davidº slewºª [the men of] sevenº hundredº chariotsº of the Syrians,º² and fortyº thousandº horsemen,º and smoteºª Shobachº the captainº of their host,º who diedºª there.² 19 And when all² the kingsº [that were] servantsº to Hadarezerº sawºª that² they were smittenºª beforeº Israel,º they made peaceºª with² Israel,º and servedºª them. So the Syriansº fearedºª to helpºª² the childrenº of Ammonº any more.²