⁹ The Ammonites came out and lined up in battle formation in front of the entrance to the city. The kings who had come from Aram were lined up by themselves in the open country.

¹⁰ Joab saw that the battle lines were drawn up against him both in front of him and behind him, so he chose some of the best troops of Israel and deployed them to confront the Arameans. ¹¹ The rest of the army he put under the command of his brother Abishai. They were deployed to confront the Ammonites.