大衛擊敗亞捫人和亞蘭人

19 後來,亞捫王拿轄死了,他兒子繼位。 大衛說:「我要恩待拿轄的兒子哈嫩,因為他父親曾經恩待我。」他便派臣僕去安慰喪父的哈嫩。大衛的臣僕來到亞捫境內要安慰哈嫩, 亞捫的官長卻對哈嫩說:「大衛派人來安慰你,你以為他是來弔唁你父親嗎?他的臣僕來見你不過是來探聽虛實,想征服這地方。」 哈嫩便把大衛的臣僕抓起來,剃去他們一半鬍子,割去他們下身的衣服,然後放走他們。 消息傳到大衛那裡,他就派人去迎接他們,告訴他們住在耶利哥,等鬍鬚長好了再回來,因為他們倍覺羞辱。

哈嫩及其他亞捫人知道得罪了大衛,就派人用三十四噸銀子從美索不達米亞、亞蘭瑪迦和瑣巴招兵買馬, 雇了三萬二千輛戰車和瑪迦王及其軍隊。他們在米底巴附近紮營,亞捫人也從各城出來準備作戰。 大衛聽見消息後,就派約押率領全體勇士出戰。 亞捫人在城門前列陣,來助戰的諸王在郊野列陣。

10 約押見自己前後受敵,就從以色列軍中挑選一些精兵迎戰亞蘭人, 11 把餘下的軍兵交給他的兄弟亞比篩領導,迎戰亞捫人。 12 他對亞比篩說:「倘若我勝不過亞蘭人,你便過來支援我;倘若你勝不過亞捫人,我便過去支援你。 13 我們要剛強,為我們的人民和我們上帝的城邑而奮勇作戰。願耶和華成全祂自己的旨意!」 14 於是,約押率領軍兵進攻亞蘭人,亞蘭人敗逃。 15 見亞蘭人敗逃,亞捫人也逃離亞比篩,退回城中。約押便回師耶路撒冷。

16 亞蘭人見自己敗在以色列人手下,就派使者調來幼發拉底河那邊的亞蘭人,由哈大底謝的將軍朔法率領。 17 大衛聽到消息後,就召集以色列全軍,渡過約旦河,列陣與亞蘭人交戰。 18 他們擊潰了亞蘭人,殺了七千名戰車兵、四萬步兵,還殺了他們的將軍朔法。 19 哈大底謝的屬下見自己敗於以色列人,便向大衛求和,臣服於他。從此,亞蘭人不敢再支援亞捫人了。

19 Und nach diesem starb Nahas, der König der Kinder Ammon, und sein Sohn ward König an seiner Statt.

Da gedachte David: Ich will Barmherzigkeit tun an Hanon, dem Sohn des Nahas; denn sein Vater hat an mir Barmherzigkeit getan. Und sandte Boten hin, ihn zu trösten über seinen Vater. Und da die Knechte Davids ins Land der Kinder Ammon kamen zu Hanon, ihn zu trösten,

sprachen die Fürsten der Kinder Ammon zu Hanon: Meinst du, daß David deinen Vater ehre vor deinen Augen, daß er Tröster zu dir gesandt hat? Ja, seine Knechte sind gekommen zu dir, zu forschen und umzukehren und zu erkunden das Land.

Da nahm Hanon die Knechte Davids und schor sie und schnitt ihre Kleider halb ab bis an die Lenden und ließ sie gehen.

Und etliche gingen hin und sagten es David an von den Männern. Er aber sandte ihnen entgegen; denn die Männer waren sehr geschändet. Und der König sprach: Bleibet zu Jericho, bis euer Bart wachse; so kommt dann wieder.

Da aber die Kinder Ammon sahen, daß sie waren stinkend geworden vor David, sandten sie hin, beide Hanon und die Kinder Ammon, tausend Zentner Silber, Wagen und Reiter zu dingen aus Mesopotamien, aus dem Syrien von Maacha und aus Zoba.

Und dingten zweiunddreißigtausend Wagen und den König von Maacha mit seinem Volk; die kamen und lagerten sich vor Medeba. Und die Kinder Ammon sammelten sich aus ihren Städten und kamen zum Streit.

Da das David hörte, sandte er hin Joab mit dem ganzen Heer der Helden.

Die Kinder Ammon aber waren ausgezogen und rüsteten sich zum Streit vor der Stadt Tor. Die Könige aber, die gekommen waren, hielten im Felde besonders.

10 Da nun Joab sah, daß vorn und hinter ihm Streit wider ihn war, erwählte er aus aller jungen Mannschaft in Israel und stellte sich gegen die Syrer.

11 Das übrige Volk aber tat er unter die Hand Abisais, seines Bruders, daß sie sich rüsteten wider die Kinder Ammon,

12 und sprach: Wenn mir die Syrer zu stark werden, so komm mir zu Hilfe; wo dir aber die Kinder Ammon zu stark werden, will ich dir helfen.

13 Sei getrost und laß uns getrost handeln für unser Volk und für die Städte unseres Gottes; der HERR tue, was ihm gefällt.

14 Und Joab machte sich herzu mit dem Volk, das bei ihm war, gegen die Syrer zu streiten; und sie flohen vor ihm.

15 Da aber die Kinder Ammon sahen, daß die Syrer flohen, flohen sie auch vor Abisai, seinem Bruder, und zogen in die Stadt. Joab aber kam gen Jerusalem.

16 Da aber die Syrer sahen, daß sie vor Israel geschlagen waren, sandten sie Boten hin und brachten heraus die Syrer jenseit des Stroms; und Sophach, der Feldhauptmann Hadadesers, zog vor ihnen her.

17 Da das David angesagt ward, sammelte er zuhauf das ganze Israel und zog über den Jordan; und da er an sie kam, rüstete er sich wider sie. Und David rüstete sich gegen die Syrer zum Streit, und sie stritten mit ihm.

18 Aber die Syrer flohen vor Israel. Und David verderbte der Syrer siebentausend Wagen und vierzigtausend Mann zu Fuß; dazu tötete er Sophach, den Feldhauptmann.

19 Und da die Knechte Hadadesers sahen, daß sie vor Israel geschlagen waren, machten sie Frieden mit David und wurden seine Knechte. Und die Syrer wollten den Kindern Ammon nicht mehr helfen.

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.

David Defeats the Ammonites(A)

19 In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites(B) died, and his son succeeded him as king. David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.

When David’s envoys came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him, the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven’t his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out(C) the country and overthrow it?” So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved them, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.

When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious(D) to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents[a] of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim,[b] Aram Maakah and Zobah.(E) They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maakah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba,(F) while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle.

On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

10 Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. 11 He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai(G) his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites. 12 Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. 13 Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

14 Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. 15 When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.

16 After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

17 When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel(H) and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him. 18 But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak the commander of their army.

19 When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him.

So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 19:6 That is, about 38 tons or about 34 metric tons
  2. 1 Chronicles 19:6 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia

The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated(A)

19 It(B) happened after this that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place. Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.

And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun, [a]“Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?”

Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments [b]in the middle, at their (C)buttocks, and sent them away. Then some went and told David about the men; and he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.”

When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the people of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from [c]Mesopotamia, from Syrian Maacah, (D)and from [d]Zobah. So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, with the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. Also the people of Ammon gathered together from their cities, and came to battle.

Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array before the gate of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

10 When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. 11 And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in battle array against the people of Ammon. 12 Then he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”

14 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 15 When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai his brother, and entered the city. So Joab went to Jerusalem.

16 Now when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought the Syrians who were beyond [e]the River, and [f]Shophach the commander of Hadadezer’s army went before them. 17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan and came upon them, and set up in battle array against them. So when David had set up in battle array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18 Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed [g]seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand [h]foot soldiers of the Syrians, and killed Shophach the commander of the army. 19 And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his servants. So the Syrians were not willing to help the people of Ammon anymore.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 19:3 Lit. In your eyes is David honoring your father because
  2. 1 Chronicles 19:4 in half
  3. 1 Chronicles 19:6 Heb. Aram Naharaim
  4. 1 Chronicles 19:6 Zoba, 2 Sam. 10:6
  5. 1 Chronicles 19:16 The Euphrates
  6. 1 Chronicles 19:16 Zoba, 2 Sam. 10:6, or Shobach, 2 Sam. 10:16
  7. 1 Chronicles 19:18 seven hundred, 2 Sam. 10:18
  8. 1 Chronicles 19:18 horsemen, 2 Sam. 10:18