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大卫的使者受辱(A)

19 后来,亚扪人的王拿辖死了,他的儿子接续他作王。 大卫说:“我要恩待拿辖的儿子哈嫩,因为他的父亲曾恩待我。”于是大卫差派使者去为了他丧父的事安慰他。大卫的臣仆到了亚扪人境内,去见哈嫩要安慰他。 但亚扪人的众领袖对哈嫩说:“大卫差派这些慰问的人到你这里来,你以为他是尊敬你父亲吗?他的臣仆来见你,不是为了窥探、倾覆、侦察这地吗?” 于是,哈嫩拿住大卫的臣仆,剃去他们的胡须,又把他们的衣服,从臀部以下割去半截,然后才放他们走。 有人去把这些人遭遇的事告诉大卫,他就派人去迎接他们;因为他们非常羞耻,王就说:“你们可以住在耶利哥,等到你们的胡须长长了才回来。”

亚扪人备战(B)

亚扪人看见自己与大卫结了仇恨,哈嫩和亚扪人就派人用三万公斤银子,从米所波大米、亚兰玛迦和琐巴去雇战车和马兵。 他们雇了三万二千辆战车,以及玛迦王和他的军队;他们都来在米底巴前面安营。亚扪人也从他们的各城聚集起来,出来作战。 大卫听见了,就差派约押和全体勇士出去。 亚扪人出来,在城门前摆阵;前来助阵的列王,也在田野摆阵。

亚兰人与亚扪人败退(C)

10 约押看见自己前后受敌,就从以色列所有的精兵中,挑选一部分出来,使他们摆阵去迎战亚兰人, 11 他把其余的人交在他兄弟亚比筛手下,使他们摆阵去迎战亚扪人。 12 约押对亚比筛说:“如果亚兰人比我强,你就来帮助我;如果亚扪人比你强,我就去帮助你。 13 你当刚强;为了我们的人民和我们 神的众城镇,我们要刚强;愿耶和华成全他看为美的行事。”

大卫击败亚兰人与亚扪人(D)

14 于是约押和他的军队前进,预备作战攻打亚兰人;亚兰人却在约押面前逃跑了。 15 亚扪人看见亚兰人逃跑,他们也在约押的兄弟亚比筛面前逃跑,退回城里。约押就回耶路撒冷去了。

16 亚兰人看见自己在以色列人面前被打败,就差派使者去把大河那边的亚兰人调过来,有哈大底谢的元帅朔法率领他们。 17 大卫得到报告,就招聚以色列众人,渡过约旦河,来到亚兰人那里,向他们摆阵。大卫摆好阵迎战亚兰人,亚兰人就与他交战。 18 亚兰人在以色列人面前逃跑;大卫杀了亚兰人七千辆战车上的军兵和四万步兵。又杀了亚兰人的元帅朔法。 19 哈大底谢的臣仆看见自己在以色列人面前被打败了,就与大卫议和,臣服了他;于是亚兰人不敢再帮助亚扪人。

The Ammonites Disgrace David's Men

19 (A)Now after this Nahash the king of the Ammonites died, and his son reigned in his place. And David said, “I will deal kindly with Hanun the son of Nahash, for his father dealt kindly with me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. And David's servants came to the land of the Ammonites to Hanun to console him. But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?” So Hanun took David's servants and shaved them and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away; and they departed. When David was told concerning the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents[a] of silver to hire chariots and horsemen (B)from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah, and from (C)Zobah. They hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and encamped before (D)Medeba. And the Ammonites were mustered from their cities and came to battle. When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

Ammonites and Syrians Defeated

10 When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. 11 The rest of his men he put in the charge of (E)Abishai his brother, and they were arrayed against the Ammonites. 12 And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” 14 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near before the Syrians for battle, and they fled before him. 15 And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before (F)Abishai, Joab's brother, and entered the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

16 But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates,[b] with (G)Shophach the commander of the army of (H)Hadadezer at their head. 17 And when it was told to David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to them and drew up his forces against them. And when David set the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18 And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of (I)7,000 chariots and 40,000 (J)foot soldiers, and put to death also (K)Shophach the commander of their army. 19 And when the servants of (L)Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Syrians were not willing to save the Ammonites anymore.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 19:6 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
  2. 1 Chronicles 19:16 Hebrew the River

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

War with the Ammonites and Arameans

19 When Nahash king of the Ammonites died, his son became king after him. David said, “Nahash was loyal to me, so I will be loyal to his son Hanun.” So David sent messengers to comfort Hanun about his father’s death.

David’s officers went to the land of the Ammonites to comfort Hanun. But the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, “Do you think David wants to honor your father by sending men to comfort you? No! David sent them to study the land and capture it and spy it out.” So Hanun arrested David’s officers. To shame them he shaved their beards and cut off their clothes at the hips. Then he sent them away.

When the people told David what had happened to his officers, he sent messengers to meet them, because they were very ashamed. King David said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back. Then come home.”

The Ammonites knew that they had insulted David. So Hanun and the Ammonites sent about seventy-four thousand pounds of silver to hire chariots and chariot drivers from Northwest Mesopotamia, Aram Maacah, and Zobah. The Ammonites hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah and his army. So they came and set up camp near the town of Medeba. The Ammonites themselves came out of their towns and got ready for battle.

When David heard about this, he sent Joab with the whole army. The Ammonites came out and prepared for battle at the city gate. The kings who had come to help were out in the field by themselves.

10 Joab saw that there were enemies both in front of him and behind him. So he chose some of the best soldiers of Israel and sent them out to fight the Arameans. 11 Joab put the rest of the army under the command of Abishai, his brother. Then they went out to fight the Ammonites. 12 Joab said to Abishai, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, you must help me. Or, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will help you. 13 Be strong. We must fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what he thinks is right.”

14 Then Joab and the army with him went to attack the Arameans, and the Arameans ran away. 15 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were running away, they also ran away from Joab’s brother Abishai and went back to their city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.

16 When the Arameans saw that Israel had defeated them, they sent messengers to bring other Arameans from east of the Euphrates River. Their leader was Shophach, the commander of Hadadezer’s army.

17 When David heard about this, he gathered all the Israelites, and they crossed over the Jordan River. He prepared them for battle, facing the Arameans. The Arameans fought with him, 18 but they ran away from the Israelites. David killed seven thousand Aramean chariot drivers and forty thousand Aramean foot soldiers. He also killed Shophach, the commander of the Aramean army.

19 When those who served Hadadezer saw that the Israelites had defeated them, they made peace with David and served him. So the Arameans refused to help the Ammonites again.