2 Samuel 10:6-19
New English Translation
6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them,[a] they[b] sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah,[c] in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish Tob.[d]
7 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them.[e] 8 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish Tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
9 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans.[f] 10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army[g] and they were deployed[h] against the Ammonites. 11 Joab[i] said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me,[j] you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you,[k] I will come to your rescue. 12 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!”[l]
13 So Joab and his men[m] marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him. 14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to[n] Jerusalem.
15 When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they consolidated their forces.[o] 16 Then Hadadezer sent for Arameans from[p] beyond the Euphrates River,[q] and they came to Helam. Shobach, the general in command of Hadadezer’s army, led them.[r]
17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River,[s] and came to Helam. The Arameans deployed their forces against David and fought with him. 18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 700 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers.[t] He also struck down Shobach, the general in command of the army, who died there. 19 When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer[u] saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel.[v] The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 10:6 tn Heb “that they were a stench [i.e., disgusting] with David.”
- 2 Samuel 10:6 tn Heb “the Ammonites.”
- 2 Samuel 10:6 tn Or “Arameans of Beth Rehob and Arameans of Zobah.”
- 2 Samuel 10:6 tn Or perhaps “the men of Tob.” The ancient versions (the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate) understand the name to be “Ish Tob.” It is possible that “Ish” is dittographic and that we should read simply “Tob,” a reading adopted by a number of recent English versions.
- 2 Samuel 10:7 tn The words “the news” and “to meet them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
- 2 Samuel 10:9 tn Heb “and Joab saw that the face of the battle was to him before and behind and he chose from all the best in Israel and arranged to meet Aram.”
- 2 Samuel 10:10 tn Heb “people.”
- 2 Samuel 10:10 tn Heb “he arranged.”
- 2 Samuel 10:11 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 2 Samuel 10:11 tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”
- 2 Samuel 10:11 tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”
- 2 Samuel 10:12 tn Heb “and the Lord will do what is good in his eyes.”
- 2 Samuel 10:13 tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”
- 2 Samuel 10:14 tn Heb “and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered.”
- 2 Samuel 10:15 tn Heb “were gathered together.”
- 2 Samuel 10:16 tn Heb “and Hadadezer sent and brought out Aram which is.”
- 2 Samuel 10:16 tn Heb “from beyond the River.” The name “Euphrates” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- 2 Samuel 10:16 tn Heb “was before them.”
- 2 Samuel 10:17 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
- 2 Samuel 10:18 tn Heb “horsemen” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT) but the Lucianic recension of the LXX reads “foot soldiers,” as does the parallel text in 1 Chr 19:18. Cf. NAB, NIV.
- 2 Samuel 10:19 tn Heb “the servants of Hadadezer.”
- 2 Samuel 10:19 tn Heb “and they served them.”
2 Samuel 10:6-19
Christian Standard Bible
6 When the Ammonites realized they had become repulsive to David, they hired twenty thousand foot soldiers from the Arameans of Beth-rehob and Zobah, one thousand men from the king of Maacah, and twelve thousand men from Tob.
7 David heard about it and sent Joab and all the elite troops. 8 The Ammonites marched out and lined up in battle formation at the entrance to the city gate while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were in the field by themselves. 9 When Joab saw that there was a battle line in front of him and another behind him, he chose some of Israel’s finest young men and lined up in formation to engage the Arameans. 10 He placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai. They lined up in formation to engage the Ammonites.
11 “If the Arameans are too strong for me,” Joab said, “then you will be my help. However, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll come to help you. 12 Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God.(A) May the Lord’s will be done.”[a](B)
13 Joab and his troops advanced to fight against the Arameans, and they fled before him. 14 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai and entered the city. So Joab withdrew from the attack against the Ammonites and went to Jerusalem.
15 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. 16 Hadadezer sent messengers to bring the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam with Shobach, commander of Hadadezer’s army, leading them.
17 When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans lined up to engage David in battle and fought against him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers.[b] He also struck down Shobach commander of their army, who died there. 19 When all the kings who were Hadadezer’s subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. After this, the Arameans were afraid to ever help the Ammonites again.
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