A Lament After a Defeat and a Prayer for Restoration

For the music director, according to Shushan Eduth.^[a]

A miktam of David. To teach.

When he fought Mesopotamia and Aram Zobah, and Joab returned and struck Edom in the Valley of Salt, twelve thousand persons.^[b]

David’s Military Victories Continue

8 It happened afterwards that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the hands of the Philistines. ² When he defeated Moab, he measured them with the cord, making them lie on the ground. He measured two cords to kill and the third cord^[a] to let live.^[b] So Moab became servants of David, bringing tribute. ³ Then David struck down Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument^[c] at the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured from him one thousand and seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand foot soldiers.^[d] David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but from them^[e] he spared a hundred chariot horses. ⁵ When Aram of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand men of Aram. ⁶ David placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, so Aram became servants of David, bringing tribute. Yahweh protected David everywhere he went.

⁷ David took the small round gold shields which had belonged^[f] to the servants of Hadadezer, and he brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ From Betah and from Berothai, the towns of Hadadezer, King David took very many bronze items.

⁹ When Toi, the king of Hamath, heard that David had defeated all the army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ Toi sent Joram his son to King David to greet him^[g] and to congratulate him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him; for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi.^[h] He brought with him^[i] objects of silver and objects of gold and objects of bronze. ¹¹ King David dedicated them also to Yahweh along with the silver and the gold that he had dedicated from all of the nations which he had subdued; ¹² from Aram and from Moab and from the Ammonites^[j] and from the Philistines and from Amalek and from the plunder of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, the king of Zobah. ¹³ So David made a name for himself when he returned from defeating Aram in the Valley of Salt, eighteen thousand. ¹⁴ He put garrisons in Edom; all over Edom he put garrisons, and all of Edom became servants of David. Yahweh protected David wherever he went.

The Ammonites Refuse David’s Loyal Love

10 Afterwards the king of the Ammonites died,^[a] and his son Hanun ruled in his place. ² David said, “I will show loyal love with Hanun, the son of Nahash, as his father showed loyal love with me.” So David sent to console him concerning his father, by the hand of his servants. And the servants of David came to the land of the Ammonites.^{[b] 3} But the commanders of the Ammonites^[c] said to Hanun their master, “In your opinion,^[d] is David honoring your father because he has sent condolences to you? Is it not in order to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it that David sent his servants to you?” ⁴ Then Hanun took the servants of David, and he shaved off half of their beards and cut their garments off in the middle up to their buttocks, then sent them away. ⁵ When they told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain in Jericho until your beards have grown, and then you can return.”

Israel Fights Ammon and Aram

⁶ When the Ammonites^[e] saw that they had become odious to David, the Ammonites^[f] sent word and hired Aram Beth-Rehob and Aram-Zobah, twenty thousand infantry; and they also hired the king of Maacah, a thousand men, and the men of Tob, twelve thousand men. ⁷ When David heard, he sent Joab and all the army of mighty warriors. ⁸ The Ammonites^[g] came out and drew up a battle formation^[h] at the entrance of the gate, but Aram-Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were alone in the open field. ⁹ When Joab saw that the battle was to be fought on two fronts,^[i] he chose from all the members of the elite troops of Israel and lined them up for battle^[j] to meet Aram. ¹⁰ The rest of the army he placed into the hand of his brother Abishai, who arranged them in battle lines^[k] to meet the Ammonites.^{[l] 11} Then he said, “If Aram is stronger than I am, you must become my deliverer; but if the Ammonites^[m] are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. ¹² Be strong, and let us strengthen ourselves for the sake of the people and for the sake of the cities of our God. May Yahweh do what is good in his eyes. ¹³ Joab and all the people who were with him moved forward into the battle against Aram, and they fled from before him. ¹⁴ When the Ammonites^[n] saw that Aram had fled, they fled from before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites^[o] and came to Jerusalem.

The Arameans Regroup for Attack

¹⁵ When the Arameans saw that they were defeated before Israel, they gathered themselves together. ¹⁶ Then Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam. Now Shobach, the commander of the army of Hadadezer, was at their head.^{[p] 17} David was told, so he gathered all Israel and crossed over the Jordan and came to Helam. Aram arranged themselves in battle lines^[q] to meet David, and they fought with him. ¹⁸ And Aram fled before Israel, and David killed from the Arameans seven hundred chariot teams and forty thousand horsemen. He struck down Shobach, the commander of his army, and he died there. ¹⁹ When all the kings, the servants of Hadadezer, saw that he had been defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them, and Aram was afraid to help the Ammonites^[r] any longer.

The Ammonites Humiliate David’s Messengers

19 And it happened that after this Nahash the king of the Ammonites^[a] died, and his son reigned in his place. ² And David said, “I will deal kindly with Hanun the son of Nahash because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And the servants of David came to the land of the Ammonites,^[b] to Hanun, to comfort him. ³ But the princes of the Ammonites^[c] said to Hanun, “Do you think^[d] because David sent comforters to you that David honors your father? Is it not for the purpose of exploring so as to overthrow and spy out the land that his servants have come to you?” ⁴ So Hanun took the servants of David and shaved them and cut off their garments at the middle, up to the buttocks, and sent them away. ⁵ And they went and told David concerning the men, and he inquired of them, for the men were very disgraced. And the king said, “Dwell in Jericho until your beards grow out; then return.”

⁶ And when the Ammonites^[e] saw that they made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites^[f] sent one thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves horses and chariots from Aram-Naharaim, Aram-Maacah, and Zobah. ⁷ And they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah and his people, and they came and encamped before Medeba. And the Ammonites^[g] were gathered from their cities and came to the battle. ⁸ And when David heard, he sent Joab and the entire army of mighty warriors. ⁹ And the Ammonites^[h] went out and took up positions for battle at the entrance of the city. And the kings who had come were alone in the field.

¹⁰ When Joab saw that there was a battle line^[i] against him at the front and the back, he chose from among the chosen men in Israel and arranged them to meet Aram. ¹¹ And the remainder of the people he put in the hand of Abishai his brother, and they were arranged to meet the Ammonites.^{[j] 12} And he said, “If Aram is too strong for me, then you must be a help to me, but if the Ammonites^[k] are too strong for you, then I will help you. ¹³ Be strong! Let us strengthen ourselves on behalf of our people and on behalf of the cities of our God. And may Yahweh do what is good in his eyes.” ¹⁴ And Joab and the people who were with him drew near before Aram for battle, and they fled before him. ¹⁵ And when the Ammonites^[l] saw that Aram had fled, they also fled before Abishai his brother, and they came to the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ And when Aram saw that they were defeated before Israel, they sent messengers and brought out Aram, who was from beyond the Euphrates,^[m] with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer before them. ¹⁷ And when it was told to David, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. And he came to them and was arrayed against them. Then David was arrayed to meet Aram in battle, and they fought with him. ¹⁸ And Aram fled before Israel. And David killed from Aram the men of seven thousand chariots and forty thousand foot soldiers, and he put to death Shophach the commander of the army. ¹⁹ And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with David and became servants to him. So Aram was no longer willing to help the Ammonites.^[n]