David’s Messengers Disgraced
(2 Samuel 10:1–8)

1  וַיְהִי֙ (And it came to pass) אַחֲרֵי־ (after) כֵ֔ן (this), וַיָּ֕מָת (that died) נָחָ֖שׁ (Nahash) מֶ֣לֶךְ (the king) בְּנֵי־ (of the sons) עַמּ֑וֹן (of Ammon), וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ (and reigned) בְּנ֖וֹ (his son) תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ (in his place). 2  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) דָּוִ֜יד (David), אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ (I will show) חֶ֣סֶד׀ (kindness) עִם־ (to) חָנ֣וּן (Hanun) בֶּן־ (son) נָחָ֗שׁ (of Nahash), כִּֽי־ (because) עָשָׂ֨ה (showed) אָבִ֤יו (his father) עִמִּי֙ (to me) חֶ֔סֶד (kindness).

וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח (And sent) דָּוִ֛יד (David) מַלְאָכִ֖ים (messengers) לְנַחֲמ֣וֹ (to comfort him) עַל־ (concerning) אָבִ֑יו (his father), וַיָּבֹאוּ֩ (and came) עַבְדֵ֨י (servants) דָוִ֜יד (of David) אֶל־ (to) אֶ֧רֶץ (the land) בְּנֵי־ (of the sons) עַמּ֛וֹן (of Ammon) אֶל־ (to) חָנ֖וּן (Hanun), לְנַחֲמֽוֹ׃ (to comfort him). 3  וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ (And said) שָׂרֵ֨י (the princes) בְנֵי־ (of the sons) עַמּ֜וֹן (of Ammon) לְחָנ֗וּן (to Hanun), הַֽמְכַבֵּ֨ד (Is he honoring) דָּוִ֤יד (David) אֶת־ (-) אָבִ֙יךָ֙ (your father) בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ (in your eyes) כִּֽי־ (because) שָׁלַ֥ח (he has sent) לְךָ֖ (to you) מְנַחֲמִ֑ים (comforters)? הֲלֹ֡א (Is it not) בַּ֠עֲבוּר (in order) לַחְקֹ֨ר (to search out) וְלַהֲפֹ֤ךְ (and to overthrow) וּלְרַגֵּל֙ (and to spy out) הָאָ֔רֶץ (the land), בָּ֥אוּ (have come) עֲבָדָ֖יו (his servants) אֵלֶֽיךָ׃פ (to you)?

4  וַיִּקַּ֨ח (And took) חָנ֜וּן (Hanun) אֶת־ (-) עַבְדֵ֤י (servants) דָוִיד֙ (of David) וַֽיְגַלְּחֵ֔ם (and shaved them) וַיִּכְרֹ֧ת (and cut off) אֶת־ (-) מַדְוֵיהֶ֛ם (their garments) בַּחֵ֖צִי (in the middle) עַד־ (at) הַמִּפְשָׂעָ֑ה (their buttocks), וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵֽם׃ (and he sent them away).

5  וַיֵּלְכוּ֩ (And some went) וַיַּגִּ֨ידוּ (and declared) לְדָוִ֤יד (to David) עַל־ (concerning) הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ (the men), וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח (and he sent) לִקְרָאתָ֔ם (to meet them) כִּי־ (because) הָי֥וּ (were) הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים (the men) נִכְלָמִ֣ים (ashamed) מְאֹ֑ד (greatly). וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (the king), שְׁב֣וּ (Dwell) בִֽירֵח֔וֹ (at Jericho) עַ֛ד (until) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) יְצַמַּ֥ח (have grown) זְקַנְכֶ֖ם (your⁺ beards), וְשַׁבְתֶּֽם׃ (and return).

6  וַיִּרְאוּ֙ (And saw) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) עַמּ֔וֹן (of Ammon) כִּ֥י (that) הִֽתְבָּאֲשׁ֖וּ (they were a stench) עִם־ (to) דָּוִ֑יד (David), וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח (and sent) חָ֠נוּן (Hanun) וּבְנֵ֨י (and the sons) עַמּ֜וֹן (of Ammon) אֶ֣לֶף (a thousand) כִּכַּר־ (talents) כֶּ֗סֶף (of silver) לִשְׂכֹּ֣ר (to hire) לָ֠הֶם (for themselves) מִן־ (from) אֲרַ֨ם (Aram-) נַהֲרַ֜יִם (naharaim), וּמִן־ (and from) אֲרַ֤ם (Aram-) מַעֲכָה֙ (maacah), וּמִצּוֹבָ֔ה (and from Zobah) רֶ֖כֶב (chariots) וּפָרָשִֽׁים׃ (and horsemen). 7  וַיִּשְׂכְּר֣וּ (And they hired) לָהֶ֡ם (for themselves) שְׁנַיִם֩ (two) וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים (and thirty) אֶ֜לֶף (thousand) רֶ֗כֶב (chariots), וְאֶת־ (and) מֶ֤לֶךְ (the king) מַעֲכָה֙ (of Maacah) וְאֶת־ (and) עַמּ֔וֹ (his people), וַיָּבֹ֕אוּ (and they came in) וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ (and encamped) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face of) מֵידְבָ֑א (Medeba). וּבְנֵ֣י (And the sons) עַמּ֗וֹן (of Ammon) נֶאֶסְפוּ֙ (gathered together) מֵעָ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם (from their cities) וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ (and came in) לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃פ (to the battle).

8  וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע (And heard) דָּוִ֑יד (David), וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ (and he sent) אֶת־ (-) יוֹאָ֔ב (Joab) וְאֵ֥ת (and) כָּל־ (all) צָבָ֖א (the host) הַגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃ (of the mighty men). 9  וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ (And came out) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) עַמּ֔וֹן (of Ammon) וַיַּֽעַרְכ֥וּ (and arrayed themselves) מִלְחָמָ֖ה (for battle) פֶּ֣תַח (before the gate) הָעִ֑יר (of the city), וְהַמְּלָכִ֣ים (and the kings) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) בָּ֔אוּ (had come) לְבַדָּ֖ם (were by themselves) בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃ (in the field).

David Defeats Ammon and Aram
(2 Samuel 10:9–19)

10  וַיַּ֣רְא (And saw) יוֹאָ֗ב (Joab) כִּֽי־ (that) הָיְתָ֧ה (was) פְנֵי־ (the front) הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה (of the battle) אֵלָ֖יו (to him) פָּנִ֣ים (before) וְאָח֑וֹר (and behind), וַיִּבְחַ֗ר (and he chose) מִכָּל־ (some) בָּחוּר֙ (of the choice) בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (in Israel), וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֖ךְ (and he arrayed) לִקְרַ֥את (against) אֲרָֽם׃ (Aram). 11  וְאֵת֙ (And) יֶ֣תֶר (the rest) הָעָ֔ם (of the people) נָתַ֕ן (he put) בְּיַ֖ד (under the command) אַבְשַׁ֣י (of Abishai) אָחִ֑יו (his brother), וַיַּ֣עַרְכ֔וּ (and they arrayed) לִקְרַ֖את (against) בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) עַמּֽוֹן׃ (of Ammon).

12  וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (And he said), אִם־ (If) תֶּחֱזַ֤ק (is too strong) מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ (for me) אֲרָ֔ם (Aram), וְהָיִ֥יתָ (and you shall be) לִּ֖י (me) לִתְשׁוּעָ֑הס (for salvation). וְאִם־ (And if) בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) עַמּ֛וֹן (of Ammon) יֶֽחֶזְק֥וּ (are too strong) מִמְּךָ֖ (for you), וְהוֹשַׁעְתִּֽיךָ׃ (then I will save you). 13  חֲזַ֤ק (Be strong), וְנִֽתְחַזְּקָה֙ (and let us strengthen ourselves) בְּעַד־ (for) עַמֵּ֔נוּ (our people) וּבְעַ֖ד (and for) עָרֵ֣י (the cities) אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ (of our God). וַֽיהוָ֔ה (And YHWH) הַטּ֥וֹב (good) בְּעֵינָ֖יו (in His sight) יַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ (shall do).

14  וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ (And drew near) יוֹאָ֜ב (Joab) וְהָעָ֧ם (and the people) אֲשֶׁר־ (who were) עִמּ֛וֹ (with him) לִפְנֵ֥י (against) אֲרָ֖ם (Aram) לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה (to battle), וַיָּנ֖וּסוּ (and they fled) מִפָּנָֽיו׃ (from his face). 15  וּבְנֵ֨י (And the sons) עַמּ֤וֹן (of Ammon) רָאוּ֙ (saw) כִּי־ (that) נָ֣ס (was fleeing) אֲרָ֔ם (Aram), וַיָּנ֣וּסוּ (and fled) גַם־ (also) הֵ֗ם (they) מִפְּנֵי֙ (before) אַבְשַׁ֣י (Abishai) אָחִ֔יו (his brother) וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ (and entered) הָעִ֑ירָה (the city). וַיָּבֹ֥א (And went) יוֹאָ֖ב (Joab) יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃פ (to Jerusalem).

16  וַיַּ֣רְא (And saw) אֲרָ֗ם (Aram) כִּ֣י (that) נִגְּפוּ֮ (they had been struck) לִפְנֵ֣י (by) יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ (Israel), וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ (and they sent) מַלְאָכִ֔ים (messengers) וַיּוֹצִ֣יאוּ (and brought out) אֶת־ (-) אֲרָ֔ם (Aram) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (which was) מֵעֵ֣בֶר (beyond) הַנָּהָ֑ר (the River), וְשׁוֹפַ֛ךְ (and Shophach) שַׂר־ (the commander) צְבָ֥א (of army) הֲדַדְעֶ֖זֶר (of Hadadezer) לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (before them).

17  וַיֻּגַּ֣ד (And it was declared) לְדָוִ֗יד (to David), וַיֶּאֱסֹ֤ף (and he gathered) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (Israel) וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ר (and passed over) הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן (the Jordan). וַיָּבֹ֣א (And he came) אֲלֵהֶ֔ם (toward them) וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֖ךְ (and arrayed) אֲלֵהֶ֑ם (against them). וַיַּעֲרֹ֨ךְ (And arrayed) דָּוִ֜יד (David) לִקְרַ֤את (against) אֲרָם֙ (Aram) מִלְחָמָ֔ה (in battle), וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ (and they fought) עִמּֽוֹ׃ (with him). 18  וַיָּ֣נָס (And fled) אֲרָם֮ (Aram) מִלִּפְנֵ֣י (before) יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ (Israel), וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג (and killed) דָּוִ֜יד (David) מֵאֲרָ֗ם (of Aram) שִׁבְעַ֤ת (seven) אֲלָפִים֙ (thousand) רֶ֔כֶב (charioteers) וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים (and forty) אֶ֖לֶף (thousand) אִ֣ישׁ (soldiers) רַגְלִ֑י (foot soldiers). וְאֵ֛ת (And) שׁוֹפַ֥ךְ (Shophach) שַֽׂר־ (the commander) הַצָּבָ֖א (of the army) הֵמִֽית׃ (he killed).

19  וַיִּרְא֞וּ (And saw) עַבְדֵ֣י (the servants) הֲדַדְעֶ֗זֶר (of Hadadezer) כִּ֤י (that) נִגְּפוּ֙ (they were defeated) לִפְנֵ֣י (by) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel), וַיַּשְׁלִ֥ימוּ (and they made peace) עִם־ (with) דָּוִ֖יד (David) וַיַּֽעַבְדֻ֑הוּ (and became his servants). וְלֹא־ (And not) אָבָ֣ה (was willing) אֲרָ֔ם (Aram) לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ (to help) אֶת־ (-) בְּנֵי־ (the people) עַמּ֖וֹן (of Ammon) עֽוֹד׃פ (anymore).