Chronological
10 Forsooth it was done after these things, that Nahash, [the] king of the sons of Ammon, died; and Hanun, his son, reigned for him (and his son Hanun reigned in his place).
2 And David said, I shall do mercy with Hanun, the son of Nahash, as his father did mercy with me. Therefore David sent comforting (to) him by his servants on the death of the father (And David said, I shall show friendship to Nahash’s son Hanun, like his father showed to me. And so, by his servants, David sent words of comfort to Hanun on the death of his father). And when the servants of David had come into the land of the sons of Ammon,
3 the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, their lord, Guessest thou, that for the honour of thy father David hath sent comforters to thee; and not rather therefore David sent his servants to thee, that he should espy, and ensearch the city, and destroy it? (and not rather, that David sent his servants to thee to spy out, and to search through the city, so that later he could destroy it?)
4 Therefore Hanun took the servants of David, and shaved half the part of the beard of them, and he cutted away the middle clothes of them, till to the buttocks; and let go them. (And so Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off half of their beards, and cut away half of their clothes, unto the buttocks, and then let them go.)
5 And when this was told to David, he sent into the coming of them, for the men were shamed full vilely (And when this was told to David, he sent men to meet them, for these men had been vilely shamed). And David commanded to them, (and said,) Dwell ye in Jericho, till your beard (hath) waxed, and then turn ye again.
6 And the sons of Ammon saw, that they had done wrong to David, and they sent, and hired with meed of Bethrehob of Syria, and of Zoba of Syria, twenty thousand of footmen, and of king Maacah, a thousand men, and of Ishtob, twelve thousand of men. (And the Ammonites saw that they had wronged David, and so they sent for, and hired for pay, Syrians from Bethrehob and from Zoba, yea, twenty thousand footmen, and a thousand men from King Maacah, and twelve thousand men from Tob.)
7 And when David had heard this, he sent (out) Joab, and all the host of fighters (and all his army of fighting men).
8 Therefore the sons of Ammon went out, and dressed battle array before them in the entering of the gate. And Zoba, and Rehob of Syria, and Ishtob, and Maacah, were asides half in the field. (And so the Ammonites went out, and dressed the battle array before them at the entrance to the city gate. And the Syrians from Zoba and from Rehob, and the men from Tob, and from Maacah, were asides half in the field.)
9 Therefore Joab saw, that the battle was made ready against him, both even against him and behind his back; and he chose to himself of all the chosen men of Israel (and he chose for himself the best men out of all Israel), and ordained (the) battle array against (the) Syrians.
10 Forsooth he betook to Abishai, his brother, the tother part of the people, which dressed (the) battle array against the sons of Ammon.
11 And Joab said, If (the) men of Syria have the mastery against me, thou shalt be to me into help; and if the sons of Ammon have the mastery against thee, I shall help thee;
12 be thou a strong man (be thou of good courage), and fight we for our people, and for the city of our God; for the Lord shall do that, that is good in his sight.
13 Therefore Joab and the people that was with him, began battle against men of Syria, which fled anon from his face. (And so Joab, and the men who were with him, began to fight against the Syrians, who fled at once from before them.)
14 And the sons of Ammon saw, that [the] men of Syria had fled; and they fled also from the face of Abishai, and entered into the city; and Joab turned again from the sons of Ammon, and came into Jerusalem (and then Joab left off fighting the Ammonites, and went back to Jerusalem).
15 And [the] men of Syria saw that they had fallen before Israel, and they were gathered together. (And when the Syrians saw that they had fallen before Israel, they gathered themselves together.)
16 And Hadadezer[a] sent, and led out [the] men of Syria that were beyond the flood, and he brought forth the host of them; and Shobach, [the] master of the chivalry of Hadadezer, was the prince of them. (And Hadadezer sent for the Syrians who were on the other side of the Euphrates River, and they came forth to Helam; and Shobach, the master of Hadadezer’s cavalry, or of his army, was their leader.)
17 And when this was told to David, he drew together all Israel, and he passed over Jordan (and he crossed over the Jordan River), and came into Helam. And [the] men of Syria dressed (the) battle array against David, and fought against him.
18 And Syrians fled from the face of Israel; and David killed of the Syrians (the men in) seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand of horsemen; and he smote Shobach, the prince of the chivalry, the which was dead anon. (And the Syrians fled from the Israelites; and David killed of those Syrians the men in seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen; and he struck down Shobach, the leader of the cavalry, or of the army, who died on the battlefield.)
19 And all the kings, that were in help of Hadadezer, saw that they were overcome of Israel, and they made peace with Israel, and served them; and the Syrians dreaded to give (more) help to the sons of Ammon. (And when all the kings, who were subject to Hadadezer, saw that they were overcome by Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them; and from then on the Syrians were afraid to give any more help to the Ammonites.)
19 Forsooth it befelled, that Nahash, [the] king of the sons of Ammon, died, and his son reigned for him. (And it befell, that Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, died, and his son reigned for him.)
2 And David said, I shall do mercy with Hanun, the son of Nahash; for his father gave mercy to me. And David sent messengers, to comfort him on the death of his father. And when they were come into the land of the sons of Ammon, for to comfort Hanun (And when they were come into the land of the Ammonites, to comfort Hanun),
3 the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, In hap thou guessest, that David, for cause of honour into thy father, sent men, that should comfort thee; and thou perceivest not, that his servants be come to thee to espy, and inquire, and to seek (through) thy land. (the princes of the Ammonites/the leaders of the Ammonites said to Hanun, Perhaps thou guessest that David, in honour of thy father, sent these men to comfort thee; and thou perceivest not, that his servants came to thee to spy, and to inquire, and to search out thy land.)
4 Therefore Hanun made bald and shaved the servants of David, and cutted the coats off them from the buttocks of them till to the feet; and let go them (and then he let them go).
5 And when they had gone forth, and had sent this to David, he sent into the meeting of them; for they had suffered great despite; and he commanded, that they should dwell in Jericho, till their beard(s) waxed, and then they should turn again. (And when they had gone forth, and had sent word about this to David, he sent a message to them; for they had suffered great despising, or great shame; and he commanded, that they should live in Jericho, until their beards grew again, and then they could return home.)
6 And the sons of Ammon saw, that they had done wrong to David, both Hanun and the other people, and they sent a thousand talents of silver, for to hire to them chariots and horsemen of Mesopotamia, and of Syria, of Maachah, and of Zobah; (And when the Ammonites saw that they had wronged David, Hanun and the other people sent a thousand talents of silver, to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, and Syriamaachah, and Zobah;)
7 and they hired to them two and thirty thousand of chariots, and the king of Maachah with his people. And when they were come, they set their tents even against Medeba; and the sons of Ammon were gathered together from their cities, and came to battle. (and they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah with his people. And when they were come, they pitched their tents opposite, or near, Medeba; and the Ammonites were gathered together from their cities, and came to do battle.)
8 And when David heard this, he sent Joab, and all the host of strong men. (And when David heard of this, he sent Joab, and all his army of strong men.)
9 And the sons of Ammon went out, and dressed battle array beside the gate of the city; but the kings, that were come to help them, stood asides-half in the field. (And the Ammonites went out, and directed the battle array beside the gate of the city; and the kings, who had come to help them, stood half-aside in the field.)
10 Therefore Joab understood, that [the] battle was made against him even against and behind his back, and he chose the strongest men of all Israel, and went against (the) Syrians; (And so Joab understood, that the battle was made against him both in front, and behind his back, and he chose the strongest men out of all Israel, and went out against the Syrians;)
11 soothly he gave the residue part of the people under the hand of Abishai, his brother; and they went forth against the sons of Ammon. (and he left the rest of the people under the hand, or the power, of his brother Abishai; and then they went forth against the Ammonites.)
12 And Joab said, If Syrians shall overcome me, thou shalt help me; and if the sons of Ammon shall overcome thee, I shall help thee; (And Joab said, If the Syrians overcome me, thou shalt help me; and if the Ammonites overcome thee, I shall help thee;)
13 be thou comforted, and do we manly for our people, and for the cities of our God; and the Lord do that, that is good in his sight. (be thou strengthened, and be thou confident, for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in his sight.)
14 Therefore Joab went forth, and the people that was with him, against (the) Syrians to (the) battle, and he drove them away. (And so Joab, and the people who were with him, went forth to do battle against the Syrians, and they drove them away.)
15 And the sons of Ammon saw, that (the) Syrians had fled, and they [also] fled from Abishai, his brother, and entered into the city; and Joab turned again into Jerusalem. (And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians had fled, then they also fled from his brother Abishai, and entered into the city; and then Joab returned to Jerusalem.)
16 And (the) Syrians saw, that he had fallen down before Israel, and he sent messengers, and brought [forth] to them (the) Syrians, that was beyond the flood; and Shophach, the prince of [the] chivalry of Hadadezer[a], was the duke of them. (And when the Syrians saw that they had fallen down before Israel, they sent messengers, and brought over to themselves the Syrians who were on the east side of the Euphrates River; and Shophach, the prince of Hadadezer’s cavalry, or of his army, was their leader.)
17 And when this was told to David, he gathered all Israel, and passed (over the) Jordan; and he felled in on them, and dressed (the) battle array even against them, fighting on the contrary. (And when this was told to David, he gathered all Israel, and crossed the Jordan River; and he fell in on them, and directed the battle array opposite them, and began to fight.)
18 And (the) Syrians fled from Israel, and David killed of the men of Syria seven thousand of chariots, that is, seven thousand men fighting in chariots[b], and forty thousand of footmen, and Shophach, the prince of the host (and also Shophach, the leader of the army).
19 And the servants of Hadadezer saw, that they were overcome of Israel, and they fled over to David, and served him; and Syria would no more give help to the sons of Ammon. (And the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were overcome by Israel, and they fled over to David, and served him; and from that time on, Syria no longer gave any help to the Ammonites.)
20 To victory, the psalm of David. The Lord hear thee in the day of tribulation; the name of God of Jacob defend thee. (To victory, the song of David. May the Lord answer thee in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend thee.)
2 Send he help to thee from the holy place; and from Zion defend he thee.
3 Be he mindful of all thy sacrifice; and thy burnt sacrifice be made fat. (May he remember all thy offerings; yea, may he be pleased with thy rich offerings/with thy burnt sacrifices.)
4 Give he to thee after thine heart; and confirm he all thy counsel. (May he give he thee thy heart’s desire; yea, may he grant success to all thy plans.)
5 We shall be glad in thine health; and we shall be magnified in the name of our God. The Lord [ful]fill all thine askings; (We shall be glad for thy victory/We shall be glad for thy salvation, or thy deliverance; and we shall magnify the name of our God. May the Lord grant all thy requests;)
6 now I have known, that the Lord hath made safe his christ. He shall hear him from his holy heaven; the health of his right hand is in powers. (now I know that the Lord hath saved his anointed king. He shall answer him from his holy heaven; with the saving power of his right hand.)
7 These, that is, adversaries, trust in chariots, and these in horses; but we shall inwardly call in the name of our Lord God. (Some, that is, our adversaries, trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we shall call on the name of the Lord our God.)
8 They be bound, and felled down; but we have risen, and be raised. (They stumbled, and fell; but we have risen, and stand upright.)
9 Lord, make thou safe the king; and hear thou us in the day in which we inwardly call thee. (Lord, save thou the king; yea, answer thou us on the day in which we call to thee.)
2001 by Terence P. Noble