David’s Messengers Disgraced
(1 Chronicles 19:1–9)

1  וַֽיְהִי֙ (And it came to pass) אַֽחֲרֵי־ (after) כֵ֔ן (this) וַיָּ֕מָת (that died) מֶ֖לֶךְ (the king) בְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) עַמּ֑וֹן (of Ammon), וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ (and reigned) חָנ֥וּן (Hanun) בְּנ֖וֹ (his son) תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ (in his place). 2  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) דָּוִ֜ד (David), אֶעֱשֶׂה־ (I will do) חֶ֣סֶד׀ (kindness) עִם־ (to) חָנ֣וּן (Hanun) בֶּן־ (son) נָחָ֗שׁ (of Nahash), כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ (as) עָשָׂ֨ה (did) אָבִ֤יו (his father) עִמָּדִי֙ (to me) חֶ֔סֶד (kindness).

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח (And sent) דָּוִ֧ד (David) לְנַחֲמ֛וֹ (to comfort him) בְּיַד־ (by the hand) עֲבָדָ֖יו (of his servants) אֶל־ (concerning) אָבִ֑יו (his father). וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ (And came) עַבְדֵ֣י (the servants) דָוִ֔ד (of David) אֶ֖רֶץ (into the land) בְּנֵ֥י (of the sons) עַמּֽוֹן׃ (of Ammon). 3  וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ (And said) שָׂרֵ֨י (the princes) בְנֵֽי־ (of the sons) עַמּ֜וֹן (of Ammon) אֶל־ (to) חָנ֣וּן (Hanun) אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֗ם (their lord), הַֽמְכַבֵּ֨ד (Is honoring) דָּוִ֤ד (David) אֶת־ (-) אָבִ֙יךָ֙ (your father) בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ (in your eyes) כִּֽי־ (because) שָׁלַ֥ח (he has sent) לְךָ֖ (to you) מְנַֽחֲמִ֑ים (comforters)? הֲ֠לוֹא (Is it not) בַּעֲב֞וּר (for the purpose) חֲק֤וֹר (of searching out) אֶת־ (-) הָעִיר֙ (the city) וּלְרַגְּלָ֣הּ (and to spy it out) וּלְהָפְכָ֔הּ (and to overthrow it) שָׁלַ֥ח (that has sent) דָּוִ֛ד (David) אֶת־ (-) עֲבָדָ֖יו (his servants) אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ (to you)?

4  וַיִּקַּ֨ח (And took) חָנ֜וּן (Hanun) אֶת־ (-) עַבְדֵ֣י (the servants) דָוִ֗ד (of David) וַיְגַלַּח֙ (and shaved off) אֶת־ (-) חֲצִ֣י (half) זְקָנָ֔ם (of their beards), וַיִּכְרֹ֧ת (and cut off) אֶת־ (-) מַדְוֵיהֶ֛ם (their garments) בַּחֵ֖צִי (in the middle) עַ֣ד (at) שְׁתֽוֹתֵיהֶ֑ם (their buttocks), וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵֽם׃ (and sent them away).

5  וַיַּגִּ֤דוּ (And they told) לְדָוִד֙ (David), וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח (and he sent) לִקְרָאתָ֔ם (to meet them) כִּֽי־ (because) הָי֥וּ (were) הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים (the men) נִכְלָמִ֣ים (ashamed) מְאֹ֑ד (greatly). וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (the king), שְׁב֣וּ (Abide) בִֽירֵח֔וֹ (at Jericho) עַד־ (until) יְצַמַּ֥ח (have grown) זְקַנְכֶ֖ם (your⁺ beards), וְשַׁבְתֶּֽם׃ (and return).

6  וַיִּרְאוּ֙ (And saw) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) עַמּ֔וֹן (of Ammon) כִּ֥י (that) נִבְאֲשׁ֖וּ (they were made to stink) בְּדָוִ֑ד (to David), וַיִּשְׁלְח֣וּ (and sent) בְנֵֽי־ (the sons) עַמּ֡וֹן (of Ammon) וַיִּשְׂכְּרוּ֩ (and hired) אֶת־ (-) אֲרַ֨ם (Aram) בֵּית־ (of Beth-) רְח֜וֹב (rehob), וְאֶת־ (and) אֲרַ֣ם (Aram) צוֹבָ֗א (of Zoba), עֶשְׂרִ֥ים (twenty) אֶ֙לֶף֙ (thousand) רַגְלִ֔י (and footmen), וְאֶת־ (and) מֶ֤לֶךְ (from the king) מַֽעֲכָה֙ (of Maacah) אֶ֣לֶף (a thousand) אִ֔ישׁ (men), וְאִ֣ישׁ (and the men) ט֔וֹב (from Tob) שְׁנֵים־ (two) עָשָׂ֥ר (and ten) אֶ֖לֶף (thousand) אִֽישׁ׃ (men).

7  וַיִּשְׁמַ֖ע (And heard) דָּוִ֑ד (David), וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ (and he sent) אֶת־ (-) יוֹאָ֔ב (Joab) וְאֵ֥ת (and) כָּל־ (all) הַצָּבָ֖א (the host) הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃ (of the mighty men). 8  וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ (And came out) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) עַמּ֔וֹן (of Ammon), וַיַּעַרְכ֥וּ (and arrayed themselves) מִלְחָמָ֖ה (for battle) פֶּ֣תַח (at the entrance) הַשָּׁ֑עַר (of the gate), וַאֲרַ֨ם (and Aram) צוֹבָ֤א (and of Zobah) וּרְחוֹב֙ (and Rehob), וְאִֽישׁ־ (and the men) ט֣וֹב (of Tob), וּמַֽעֲכָ֔ה (and Maacah were) לְבַדָּ֖ם (by themselves) בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃ (in the field).

David Defeats Ammon and Aram
(1 Chronicles 19:10–19)

9  וַיַּ֣רְא (And saw) יוֹאָ֗ב (Joab) כִּֽי־ (that) הָיְתָ֤ה (was) אֵלָיו֙ (against him) פְּנֵ֣י (the front) הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה (of the battle) מִפָּנִ֖ים (before the faces) וּמֵֽאָח֑וֹר (and behind), וַיִּבְחַ֗ר (and he chose) מִכֹּל֙ (some) בְּחוּרֵ֣י (of the chosen) בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל (of Israel), וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֖ךְ (and he arrayed them) לִקְרַ֥את (to meet) אֲרָֽם׃ (Aram). 10  וְאֵת֙ (And) יֶ֣תֶר (the rest) הָעָ֔ם (of the people) נָתַ֕ן (he put) בְּיַ֖ד (under the command) אַבְשַׁ֣י (of Abishai) אָחִ֑יו (his brother), וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֕ךְ (and he arrayed them) לִקְרַ֖את (against) בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) עַמּֽוֹן׃ (of Ammon).

11  וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (And he said), אִם־ (If) תֶּחֱזַ֤ק (is too strong) אֲרָם֙ (Aram) מִמֶּ֔נִּי (for me), וְהָיִ֥תָה (then you will be) לִּ֖י (to me) לִֽישׁוּעָ֑ה (for salvation). וְאִם־ (But if) בְּנֵ֤י (the sons) עַמּוֹן֙ (of Ammon) יֶחֱזְק֣וּ (are too strong) מִמְּךָ֔ (for you), וְהָלַכְתִּ֖י (then I will go) לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַֽ (to give salvation) לָֽךְ׃ (to you). 12  חֲזַ֤ק (Be strong) וְנִתְחַזַּק֙ (and strengthen yourself) בְּעַד־ (for) עַמֵּ֔נוּ (our people), וּבְעַ֖ד (and for) עָרֵ֣י (the cities) אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ (of our God). וַֽיהוָ֔ה (And YHWH) יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה (does) הַטּ֖וֹב (what is good) בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ (in His eyes).

13  וַיִּגַּ֣שׁ (And drew near) יוֹאָ֗ב (Joab) וְהָעָם֙ (and the people) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who were) עִמּ֔וֹ (with him) לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה (for the battle) בַּֽאֲרָ֑ם (against Aram), וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ (and they fled) מִפָּנָֽיו׃ (before his face). 14  וּבְנֵ֨י (And the sons) עַמּ֤וֹן (of Ammon) רָאוּ֙ (saw) כִּי־ (that) נָ֣ס (was fleeing) אֲרָ֔ם (Aram), וַיָּנֻ֙סוּ֙ (and they fled) מִפְּנֵ֣י (before) אֲבִישַׁ֔י (Abishai) וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ (and entered) הָעִ֑יר (the city). וַיָּ֣שָׁב (And returned) יוֹאָ֗ב (Joab) מֵעַל֙ (from) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) עַמּ֔וֹן (of Ammon), וַיָּבֹ֖א (and he entered) יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (Jerusalem).

15  וַיַּ֣רְא (And saw) אֲרָ֔ם (Aram) כִּ֥י (that) נִגַּ֖ף (they had been struck) לִפְנֵ֣י (by) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Israel), וַיֵּאָסְפ֖וּ (and they gathered) יָֽחַד׃ (together). 16  וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח (And sent) הֲדַדְעֶ֗זֶר (Hadadezer) וַיֹּצֵ֤א (and brought out) אֶת־ (-) אֲרָם֙ (of Aram), אֲשֶׁר֙ (which is) מֵעֵ֣בֶר (beyond) הַנָּהָ֔ר (the River). וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ (And they came) חֵילָ֑ם (to Helam), וְשׁוֹבַ֛ךְ (and Shobach) שַׂר־ (the commander) צְבָ֥א (of army) הֲדַדְעֶ֖זֶר (of Hadadezer) לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (was before their faces).

17  וַיֻּגַּ֣ד (And it was told) לְדָוִ֗דס (to David), וַיֶּאֱסֹ֤ף (and he gathered) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (Israel) וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ר (and passed over) אֶת־ (-) הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן (the Jordan), וַיָּבֹ֖א (and he came) חֵלָ֑אמָה (to Helam). וַיַּעַרְכ֤וּ (And arrayed themselves) אֲרָם֙ (Aram) לִקְרַ֣את (against) דָּוִ֔ד (David), וַיִּלָּחֲמ֖וּ (and fought) עִמּֽוֹ׃ (with him). 18  וַיָּ֣נָס (And fled) אֲרָם֮ (Aram) מִפְּנֵ֣י (before) יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ (Israel), וַיַּהֲרֹ֨ג (and killed) דָּוִ֜ד (David) מֵאֲרָ֗ם (of Aram) שְׁבַ֤ע (seven) מֵאוֹת֙ (hundred) רֶ֔כֶב (charioteers) וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים (and forty) אֶ֖לֶף (thousand) פָּרָשִׁ֑ים (horsemen), וְאֵ֨ת (and) שׁוֹבַ֧ךְ (Shobach) שַׂר־ (the commander) צְבָא֛וֹ (of their army) הִכָּ֖ה (he struck down), וַיָּ֥מָת (and he died) שָֽׁם׃ (there).

19  וַיִּרְא֨וּ (And saw) כָֽל־ (all) הַמְּלָכִ֜ים (the kings)— עַבְדֵ֣י (servants) הֲדַדְעֶ֗זֶר (of Hadadezer)— כִּ֤י (that) נִגְּפוּ֙ (they were defeated) לִפְנֵ֣י (by) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel), וַיַּשְׁלִ֥מוּ (and they made peace) אֶת־ (with) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel) וַיַּֽעַבְד֑וּם (and served them). וַיִּֽרְא֣וּ (And was afraid) אֲרָ֔ם (Aram) לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ (to deliver) ע֖וֹד (anymore) אֶת־ (-) בְּנֵ֥י (the sons) עַמּֽוֹן׃פ (of Ammon).