2 Samuel 10:1-6

English Standard Version

David Defeats Ammon and Syria

10 ^(A)After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. ² And David said, “I will deal loyally^[a] with Hanun the son of ^(B)Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the Ammonites. ³ But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?” ⁴ So Hanun took David's servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, ^(C)at their hips, and sent them away. ⁵ When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

⁶ When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of ^(D)Beth-rehob, and ^(E)the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of ^(F)Maacah with 1,000 men, and the men of ^(G)Tob, 12,000 men.