Add parallel Print Page Options

大卫遣使诣哈嫩

19 此后,亚扪人的王拿辖死了,他儿子接续他做王。 大卫说:“我要照哈嫩的父亲拿辖厚待我的恩典,厚待哈嫩。”于是大卫差遣使者为他丧父安慰他。大卫的臣仆到了亚扪人的境内见哈嫩,要安慰他, 亚扪人的首领对哈嫩说:“大卫差人来安慰你,你想他是尊敬你父亲吗?他的臣仆来见你不是为详察窥探,倾覆这地吗?” 哈嫩便将大卫臣仆的胡须剃去一半,又割断他们下半截的衣服,使他们露出下体,打发他们回去。 有人将臣仆所遇的事告诉大卫,他就差人去迎接他们,因为他们甚觉羞耻。告诉他们说:“可以住在耶利哥,等到胡须长起再回来。”

亚扪人备战

亚扪人知道大卫憎恶他们,哈嫩亚扪人就打发人拿一千他连得银子,从美索不达米亚亚兰玛迦琐巴雇战车和马兵。 于是雇了三万二千辆战车和玛迦王并他的军兵,他们来安营在米底巴前。亚扪人也从他们的城里出来,聚集交战。 大卫听见了,就差派约押统带勇猛的全军出去。 亚扪人出来,在城门前摆阵,所来的诸王另在郊野摆阵。

亚兰人与亚扪人败遁

10 约押看见敌人在他前后摆阵,就从以色列军中挑选精兵,使他们对着亚兰人摆阵, 11 其余的兵交于他兄弟亚比筛,对着亚扪人摆阵。 12 约押亚比筛说:“亚兰人若强过我,你就来帮助我;亚扪人若强过你,我就去帮助你。 13 我们都当刚强,为本国的民和神的城邑做大丈夫!愿耶和华凭他的意旨而行。” 14 于是约押和跟随他的人前进攻打亚兰人,亚兰人在约押面前逃跑。 15 亚扪人见亚兰人逃跑,他们也在约押的兄弟亚比筛面前逃跑进城。约押就回耶路撒冷去了。

16 亚兰人见自己被以色列人打败,就打发使者将大河那边的亚兰人调来,哈大利谢的将军朔法率领他们。 17 有人告诉大卫,他就聚集以色列众人,过约旦河,来到亚兰人那里,迎着他们摆阵。大卫既摆阵攻击亚兰人,亚兰人就与他打仗。 18 亚兰人在以色列人面前逃跑,大卫杀了亚兰七千辆战车的人、四万步兵,又杀了亚兰的将军朔法 19 哈大利谢的诸王见自己被以色列人打败,就与大卫和好,归服他。于是亚兰人不敢再帮助亚扪人了。

War with the Ammonites and Arameans

19 Some time later, the Ammonite King Nahash died, and his son succeeded him as king. “I’ll be loyal to Nahash’s son Hanun,” David said, “because his father was loyal to me.” So David sent messengers with condolences about his father’s death.

But when David’s servants arrived in the Ammonite territory to express his sympathy to Hanun, the Ammonite leaders asked Hanun, “Do you really believe David is honoring your father because he has sent you condolences? Of course not! His servants have come to search the city, spy it out, and overthrow it!” So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, cut off half their garments from their buttocks down, and sent them off.

When this was reported to David, he sent messengers to the men because they were completely ashamed. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown. Then you can come back.”

When the Ammonites realized that they had offended David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent one thousand kikkars of silver to hire chariots and cavalry for themselves from Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah. They hired thirty-two thousand chariots, as well as King Maacah and his army, who came and camped in front of Medeba, while the Ammonites left their cities and came together ready for battle. When David heard this, he sent Joab and the entire army of warriors. The Ammonites marched out and formed a battle line at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come remained in the countryside.

10 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s finest warriors and deployed them to meet the Arameans. 11 The rest of the army Joab placed under the command of his brother Abishai. When they took up their positions to meet the Arameans, 12 Joab said, “If the Arameans prove too strong for me, you must help me, and if the Ammonites prove too strong for you, I’ll help you. 13 Be brave! We must be courageous for the sake of our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his eyes.”

14 When Joab and the troops who were with him advanced into battle against the Arameans, they fled from him. 15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they also fled from his brother Abishai and retreated into the city. So Joab returned to Jerusalem.

16 The Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel. They sent out messengers to bring Aramean reinforcements from the other side of the river, with Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army at their head. 17 Upon hearing this, David gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. David advanced and took up positions against the Arameans to meet them in battle. After initiating the battle, 18 the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand Aramean chariot drivers and forty thousand foot soldiers. Shophach the commander of their army was killed too. 19 When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. Never again would the Arameans come to the aid of the Ammonites.

19 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.

And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.

But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?

Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.

Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah.

So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.

And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.

10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.

11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.

12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.

13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the Lord do that which is good in his sight.

14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.

15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.

18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.

19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.