2 Samuel, Chapter 10:

Verses from 2 Samuel, Chapter 10 of the book of 1 Samuel in the Bible.

2 Samuel - Old Testament — 2 Samuel – Old Testament

David defeats the Ammonites

1. After some time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun took the throne.
2. David thought, “I will be generous to Hanun, son of Nahash, just as his father was generous to me.” Then David sent a delegation to express condolences to Hanun on the death of his father. However, when David's messengers arrived in the land of the Ammonites,
3. The Ammonite leaders said to their master Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring his father by sending messengers to offer condolences? This is not true! David sent them as spies to explore the city and destroy it.”
4. Then Hanun arrested David's messengers, cut off half of their beards, cut half of their clothes down to their buttocks, and sent them away.
5. When David heard this, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were deeply humiliated, and he ordered them: “Remain in Jericho until your beards grow, and then return home.”
6. Realizing that they had provoked David's anger, the Ammonites hired twenty thousand foot soldiers from the Arameans of Beth-rehob and Zobah, a thousand men from the king of Maacah, and twelve thousand men from Tob.
7. Upon hearing this, David ordered Joab to march with the entire army.
8. The Ammonites went out and positioned themselves for battle at the entrance to the city, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob, together with the men of Tob and Maacah, positioned themselves in the open field.
9. When Joab realized he was being surrounded on both sides, he chose some of Israel's best soldiers and positioned them against the Arameans.
10. He placed the rest of the men under the command of his brother Abishai and positioned them against the Ammonites.
11. Joab said to Abishai, “If the Arameans prove too strong for me, come and help me; If, on the other hand, the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come to your aid.
12. Let us be courageous and fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord do according to His will.”
13. Then Joab and his soldiers advanced against the Arameans, who fled before them.
14. When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing from Joab, they also fled from Abishai and entered the city. Thus, Joab stopped fighting the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem.
15. Upon realizing that they had been defeated by Israel, the Arameans reorganized.
16. Hadadezer sent messengers to bring the Arameans from across the Euphrates. They arrived in Helam, led by Shobbok, commander of Hadadezer's army.
17. When David heard this, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Arameans prepared themselves for battle against him,
18. but they ended up fleeing before Israel. David killed seven hundred chariot drivers and forty thousand Aramean foot soldiers. Soboque, the army commander, was also injured and died on the battlefield.
19. When the vassal kings of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sought peace with the Israelites and submitted themselves to them. And the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites again.