First Chronicles Chapter 19
1 After this, King Nahash of the children of Ammon died and his son reigned in his place.
2 David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, in order to comfort him.
3 But the rulers of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Is David honoring your father in your eyes, because he has sent comforters to you? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?
4 Hanun took David's servants and shaved them, and cut off their garments in half, to the buttocks, and sent them away.
5 And some came and told David how the men were treated. And he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, Stay at Jericho until your beards are grown, and then return.
6 The Ammonites saw that they had made themselves stink before David, and Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia and out of Maachah of Syria, and out of Zobah.
7 They hired 32,000 chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people, who came and pitched before Medeba. The Ammonites gathered from their cities and came to battle.
8 David heard, and he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.
9 The children of Ammon came out and put the battle in order before the gate of the city. The kings who had come were by themselves in the field.
10 Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, and he chose out of all the choice young men of Israel and set in order against the Syrians.
11 He delivered the rest of the people into the hand of his brother Abishai. They set in order against the children of Ammon.
12 He said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me. But if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.
13 Be of good courage and let us behave bravely for our people, and for the cities of our God. And let the Lord do what is good in His sight.
14 Joab and the people with him drew near before the Syrians to the battle. They fled before him.
15 When the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians had fled, they also fled before his brother Abishai. They entered into the city. And Joab came to Jerusalem.
16 The Syrians saw that they were beaten before Israel, and sent messengers and drew forth the Syrians who were beyond the river. And Shophach the captain of the army of Hadarezer went before them.
17 It was told to David. And he gathered all Israel and passed over Jordan and came on them. And he set in order against them. And David set in order against the Syrians, and they fought with him.
18 But the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed 7,000 of the Syrians in chariots, and 40,000 soldiers⁺. And he killed Shophach the commander of the army.
19 The servants of Hadarezer saw that they were beaten before Israel, and they made peace with David and became his servants. And Syria was not willing to help the children of Ammon any more.