⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations^(A) in the four corners of the earth^(B)—Gog and Magog^(C)—and to gather them for battle.^(D) In number they are like the sand on the seashore.^{(E) 9} They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded^(F) the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.^(G) But fire came down from heaven^(H) and devoured them.

¹² “The ten horns^(A) you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour^(B) will receive authority as kings along with the beast. ¹³ They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.^{(C) 14} They will wage war^(D) against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over^(E) them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings^(F)—and with him will be his called, chosen^(G) and faithful followers.”

⁶ When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious^(A) to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean^(B) foot soldiers from Beth Rehob^(C) and Zobah,^(D) as well as the king of Maakah^(E) with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.^(F)

⁷ On hearing this, David sent Joab^(G) out with the entire army of fighting men. ⁸ The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country.

⁹ 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. ¹⁰ He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai^(H) his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites. ¹¹ Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. ¹² Be strong,^(I) and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”^(J)

¹³ Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. ¹⁴ When the Ammonites^(K) realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they regrouped. ¹⁶ Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River; they went to Helam, with Shobak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

¹⁷ When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him. ¹⁸ But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers.^[a] He also struck down Shobak the commander of their army, and he died there. ¹⁹ When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject^(L) to them.

So the Arameans^(M) were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet^(A) who had performed the signs^(B) on its behalf.^(C) With these signs he had deluded^(D) those who had received the mark of the beast^(E) and worshiped its image.^(F) The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake^(G) of burning sulfur.^(H)

The Sign of Immanuel

7 When Ahaz^(A) son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin^(B) of Aram^(C) and Pekah^(D) son of Remaliah^(E) king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem, but they could not overpower it.