³ And he brought out the people who were in it, and ^[a]put them to work with saws, with iron picks, and with axes. So David did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

² 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.

³ 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?”

⁴ Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments ^[b]in the middle, at their ^(A)buttocks, and sent them away. ⁵ 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.”

²¹ that is, their descendants ^(A)who were left in the land after them, ^(B)whom the children of Israel had not been able to destroy completely—^(C)from these Solomon raised ^(D)forced labor, as it is to this day.

³¹ And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

^16 (A)And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he ^[a]taught the men of Succoth. ^17 (B)Then he tore down the tower of ^(C)Penuel and killed the men of the city.

⁶ And the leaders of Succoth said, ^(A)“Are^[a] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that ^(B)we should give bread to your army?”

⁷ So Gideon said, “For this cause, when the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, ^(C)then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!”

²³ Now therefore, you are ^(A)cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves—woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

¹⁴ And they ^(A)made their lives bitter with hard bondage—^(B)in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.