| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him. | 1Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun. |
| 2David said, "I will express my loyalty to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal to me." So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father's death. When David's servants entered the land of the Ammonites, | 2And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent some of his servants to console Hanun concerning his father. But when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites, |
| 3the Ammonite officials said to their lord Hanun, "Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!" | 3the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?” |
| 4So Hanun seized David's servants and shaved off half of each one's beard. He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed, and then sent them away. | 4So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away. |
| 5Messengers told David what had happened, so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, "Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown again; then you may come back." | 5When this was reported to David, he sent messengers to meet the men, since they had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.” |
| 6When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, they sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah, in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish-tob. | 6When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob. |
| 7When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. | 7On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men. |
| 8The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish-tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field. | 8The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country. |
| 9When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel's best men and deployed them against the Arameans. | 9When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans. |
| 10He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army and they were deployed against the Ammonites. | 10And he placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites. |
| 11Joab said, "If the Arameans start to overpower me, you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, I will come to your rescue. | 11“If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue. |
| 12Be strong! Let's fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The LORD will do what he decides is best!" | 12Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.” |
| 13So Joab and his men marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him. | 13So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him. |
| 14When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to Jerusalem. | 14When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem. |
| 15When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they consolidated their forces. | 15When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. |
| 16Then Hadadezer sent for Arameans from beyond the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam. Shobach, the general in command of Hadadezer's army, led them. | 16Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them. |
| 17When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and came to Helam. The Arameans deployed their forces against David and fought with him. | 17When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought against him. |
| 18The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 700 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach, the general in command of the army, who died there. | 18But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there. |
| 19When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel. The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites. | 19When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore. |
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