1Forsooth it befelled, that Nahash, [the] king of the sons of Ammon, died, and his son reigned for him. (And it befell, that Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, died, and his son reigned for him.) 2And David said, I shall do mercy with Hanun, the son of Nahash; for his father gave mercy to me. And David sent messengers, to comfort him on the death of his father. And when they were come into the land of the sons of Ammon, for to comfort Hanun (And when they were come into the land of the Ammonites, to comfort Hanun), 3the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, In hap thou guessest, that David, for cause of honour into thy father, sent men, that should comfort thee; and thou perceivest not, that his servants be come to thee to espy, and inquire, and to seek (through) thy land. (the princes of the Ammonites/the leaders of the Ammonites said to Hanun, Perhaps thou guessest that David, in honour of thy father, sent these men to comfort thee; and thou perceivest not, that his servants came to thee to spy, and to inquire, and to search out thy land.) 4Therefore Hanun made bald and shaved the servants of David, and cutted the coats off them from the buttocks of them till to the feet; and let go them (and then he let them go). 5And when they had gone forth, and had sent this to David, he sent into the meeting of them; for they had suffered great despite; and he commanded, that they should dwell in Jericho, till their beard(s) waxed, and then they should turn again. (And when they had gone forth, and had sent word about this to David, he sent a message to them; for they had suffered great despising, or great shame; and he commanded, that they should live in Jericho, until their beards grew again, and then they could return home.)

6And the sons of Ammon saw, that they had done wrong to David, both Hanun and the other people, and they sent a thousand talents of silver, for to hire to them chariots and horsemen of Mesopotamia, and of Syria, of Maachah, and of Zobah; (And when the Ammonites saw that they had wronged David, Hanun and the other people sent a thousand talents of silver, to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, and Syriamaachah, and Zobah;) 7and they hired to them two and thirty thousand of chariots, and the king of Maachah with his people. And when they were come, they set their tents even against Medeba; and the sons of Ammon were gathered together from their cities, and came to battle. (and they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah with his people. And when they were come, they pitched their tents opposite, or near, Medeba; and the Ammonites were gathered together from their cities, and came to do battle.) 8And when David heard this, he sent Joab, and all the host of strong men. (And when David heard of this, he sent Joab, and all his army of strong men.) 9And the sons of Ammon went out, and dressed battle array beside the gate of the city; but the kings, that were come to help them, stood asides-half in the field. (And the Ammonites went out, and directed the battle array beside the gate of the city; and the kings, who had come to help them, stood half-aside in the field.)

10Therefore Joab understood, that [the] battle was made against him even against and behind his back, and he chose the strongest men of all Israel, and went against (the) Syrians; (And so Joab understood, that the battle was made against him both in front, and behind his back, and he chose the strongest men out of all Israel, and went out against the Syrians;) 11soothly he gave the residue part of the people under the hand of Abishai, his brother; and they went forth against the sons of Ammon. (and he left the rest of the people under the hand, or the power, of his brother Abishai; and then they went forth against the Ammonites.) 12And Joab said, If Syrians shall overcome me, thou shalt help me; and if the sons of Ammon shall overcome thee, I shall help thee; (And Joab said, If the Syrians overcome me, thou shalt help me; and if the Ammonites overcome thee, I shall help thee;) 13be thou comforted, and do we manly for our people, and for the cities of our God; and the Lord do that, that is good in his sight. (be thou strengthened, and be thou confident, for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in his sight.) 14Therefore Joab went forth, and the people that was with him, against (the) Syrians to (the) battle, and he drove them away. (And so Joab, and the people who were with him, went forth to do battle against the Syrians, and they drove them away.) 15And the sons of Ammon saw, that (the) Syrians had fled, and they [also] fled from Abishai, his brother, and entered into the city; and Joab turned again into Jerusalem. (And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians had fled, then they also fled from his brother Abishai, and entered into the city; and then Joab returned to Jerusalem.)

16And (the) Syrians saw, that he had fallen down before Israel, and he sent messengers, and brought [forth] to them (the) Syrians, that was beyond the flood; and Shophach, the prince of [the] chivalry of Hadadezer , was the duke of them. (And when the Syrians saw that they had fallen down before Israel, they sent messengers, and brought over to themselves the Syrians who were on the east side of the Euphrates River; and Shophach, the prince of Hadadezer’s cavalry, or of his army, was their leader.) 17And when this was told to David, he gathered all Israel, and passed (over the) Jordan; and he felled in on them, and dressed (the) battle array even against them, fighting on the contrary. (And when this was told to David, he gathered all Israel, and crossed the Jordan River; and he fell in on them, and directed the battle array opposite them, and began to fight.) 18And (the) Syrians fled from Israel, and David killed of the men of Syria seven thousand of chariots, that is, seven thousand men fighting in chariots , and forty thousand of footmen, and Shophach, the prince of the host (and also Shophach, the leader of the army). 19And the servants of Hadadezer saw, that they were overcome of Israel, and they fled over to David, and served him; and Syria would no more give help to the sons of Ammon. (And the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were overcome by Israel, and they fled over to David, and served him; and from that time on, Syria no longer gave any help to the Ammonites.)