VIN(i)
1 Sometime later, the Ammonite king died and his son Hanun succeeded him as king,
2 And 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. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon.
3 the Ammonite princes asked their master Hanun: "Do you think David is honoring your father because he sent men to comfort you? Perhaps David sent his men to explore the city, spy on it, and destroy it."
4 And Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, 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 Ammonites realized that they had created quite a stink with David, they hired 20,000 Aramean mercenaries from Beth-rehob and Zobah, along with the king of Maacah and 1,000 men, and 12,000 men from Tob.
7 And hearing of this, David sent Joab and all the army and the best fighting-men.
8 The Ammonites came out and drew up a battle formation at the entrance of the gate, but Aram-Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were alone in the open field.
9 Joab saw he was under attack in front and behind. He took the select troops of Israel and organized them for combat against the Arameans.
10 putting the rest of his forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them to oppose the Ammonites.
11 He said, "If the Arameans prove too strong for me, then you are to help me. If the Ammonites prove too strong for you, then I will come help you.
12 Be strong, and let us shew ourselves valiant for our people and for the cities of our God; and the LORD do what is good in his sight.
13 Then Joab, and all his people with him, advanced to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him.
14 When the Ammonites saw that Aram had fled, they fled from before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.
15 After the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped.
16 And Hadadezer sent for the Aramaeans who were on the other side of the River: and they came to Helam, with Shobach, the captain of Hadadezer's army, at their head.
17 David was told, so he gathered all Israel and crossed over the Jordan and came to Helam. Aram arranged themselves in battle lines to meet David, and they fought with him.
18 And Aram fled before Israel, and David killed from the Arameans seven hundred chariot teams and forty thousand horsemen. He struck down Shobach, the commander of his army, and he died there.
19 When all the kings who were allied with Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sought terms of peace with the Israelites and became subservient to them. Furthermore, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites any more.