2 Samuel 10 - Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

War with the Ammonites

10 Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place.(A) 2 Then David said, “I’ll show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.”

So David sent his emissaries to console Hanun concerning his father. However, when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites, 3 the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent men with condolences for you, do you really believe he’s showing respect for your father? Instead, hasn’t David sent his emissaries in order to scout out the city, spy on it, and demolish it?” (B) 4 So Hanun took David’s emissaries, shaved off half their beards,(C) cut their clothes in half at the hips, and sent them away.(D)

5 When this was reported to David, he sent someone to meet them, since they were deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back; then return.”

6 When the Ammonites realized they had become repulsive to David, they hired twenty thousand foot soldiers from the Arameans of Beth-rehob and Zobah, one thousand men from the king of Maacah, and twelve thousand men from Tob.

7 David heard about it and sent Joab and all the elite troops. 8 The Ammonites marched out and lined up in battle formation at the entrance to the city gate while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were in the field by themselves. 9 When Joab saw that there was a battle line in front of him and another behind him, he chose some of Israel’s finest young men and lined up in formation to engage the Arameans. 10 He placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai. They lined up in formation to engage the Ammonites.

11 “If the Arameans are too strong for me,” Joab said, “then you will be my help. However, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll come to help you. 12 Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God.(E) May the Lord’s will be done.”[a](F)

13 Joab and his troops advanced to fight against the Arameans, and they fled before him. 14 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai and entered the city. So Joab withdrew from the attack against the Ammonites and went to Jerusalem.

15 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. 16 Hadadezer sent messengers to bring the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam with Shobach, commander of Hadadezer’s army, leading them.

17 When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans lined up to engage David in battle and fought against him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers.[b] He also struck down Shobach commander of their army, who died there. 19 When all the kings who were Hadadezer’s subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. After this, the Arameans were afraid to ever help the Ammonites again.

Footnotes

  1. 10:12 Lit the Lord do what is good in his eyes
  2. 10:18 Some LXX mss; MT reads horsemen; 1Ch 19:18

Cross references

  1. 10:1–19 : 1Ch 19:1–19
  2. 10:3 : 1Sm 11:1–10
  3. 10:4 : Is 50:6
  4. 10:4 : Is 7:20; 20:4
  5. 10:12 : Dt 31:6; Jos 1:6
  6. 10:12 : Ac 21:14

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10 Forsooth it was done after these things, that Nahash, [the] king of the sons of Ammon, died; and Hanun, his son, reigned for him (and his son Hanun reigned in his place). 2 And David said, I shall do mercy with Hanun, the son of Nahash, as his father did mercy with me. Therefore David sent comfor...
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10 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 lan...
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2 Samuel 10 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

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2 Samuel 10 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Ammonites and Arameans Are Defeated10 After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. 2 And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father....
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2 Samuel 10 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Ammonites and Arameans Are Defeated10 After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. 2 And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father....
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2 Samuel 10 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Ammonites and Arameans Are Defeated10 Some time afterwards the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him. 2 David said, ‘I will deal loyally with Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father dealt loyally with me.’ So David sent envoys to console him concerning his father. When Dav...
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2 Samuel 10 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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2 Samuel 10 - New Living Translation (NLT)

David Defeats the Ammonites10 Some time after this, King Nahash[a] of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. 2 David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s d...
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David Wins over the Ammonites and Syrians10 After this the king of the Ammonites died. His son Hanun became king in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show kindness to Nahash’s son Hanun, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent some of his servants to comfort him in the loss of ...
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The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated(A)10 It happened after this that the (B)king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, “I will show (C)kindness to Hanun the son of (D)Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.”So David sent by the hand of his serva...
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David defeats the Ammonites10 In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. 2 David thought, ‘I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.’ So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concern...
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