Chronological

10 And it came to pass after this, that Melech Bnei Ammon died, and Chanun bno reigned in his place.

² Then said Dovid, I will show chesed unto Chanun Ben Nachash, as aviv (his father) showed chesed unto me. And Dovid sent to console him by the yad of his avadim for aviv. And avadim of Dovid came into Eretz Bnei Ammon.

³ And the sarim (princes) of the Bnei Ammon said unto Chanun their adon, Thinkest thou that Dovid doth honor avicha, that he hath sent menachamim (comforters) unto thee? Hath not Dovid rather sent his avadim unto thee, to explore the Ir, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

⁴ Therefore, Chanun took the avadim of Dovid, and shaved off half of their zekanim (beards), and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵ When they told it unto Dovid, he sent to meet them, because the anashim were greatly humiliated; and HaMelech said, Tarry at Yericho until your zekanim be grown, and then return.

⁶ And when the Bnei Ammon saw that they became stench before Dovid, the Bnei Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beit-Rechov and the Syrians of Tzova, twenty elef foot soldiers, and of Melech Ma’akhah an elef ish, and of Ish-Tov, twelve elef ish.

⁷ And when Dovid heard of it, he sent Yoav, and all the tzava (host, army) of the Gibborim.

⁸ And the Bnei Ammon came out, arrayed for milchamah at the petach hasha’ar (city gate); and the Syrians of Tzova, and of Rechov, and Ish-Tov, and Ma’akhah, were by themselves in the sadeh.

⁹ When Yoav saw that the front of the milchamah (battle) was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Yisroel, and put them in array against the Syrians;

¹⁰ And the rest of the people he delivered under the yad (command) of Avishai achiv (his brother), that he might put them in array against the Bnei Ammon.

¹¹ And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt be for me for yeshuah (salvation, rescue); but if the Bnei Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come for you for yeshuah (salvation, rescue).

¹² Chazak (be strong)! And let us play the man for amenu (our people), and for the towns of Eloheinu; and Hashem do that which seemeth Him hatov in His einayim.

¹³ And Yoav drew near, and HaAm that were with him, unto the milchamah against the Syrians; and they fled before him.

¹⁴ And when the Bnei Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Avishai, and entered into the Ir. So Yoav returned from the Bnei Ammon, and came to Yerushalayim.

¹⁵ And when the Syrians saw that they were defeated before Yisroel, they gathered themselves together.

¹⁶ And Hadadezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the Nahar; and they came to Chelam; and Shovach the Sar Tzeva (commander of the army) of Hadadezer went before them.

¹⁷ And when it was told Dovid, he gathered kol Yisroel together, and crossed over Yarden, and came to Chelam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against Dovid, and fought against him.

¹⁸ And the Syrians fled before Yisroel; and Dovid slaughtered the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty elef parashim, and struck down Shovach the Sar of his Tzeva (army), who died there.

¹⁹ And when all the melachim that were avadim (vassals) to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated before Yisroel, they made shalom with Yisroel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the Bnei Ammon any more.

19 Now it came to pass after this, that Nachash Melech Bnei Ammon died, and bno reigned in his place.

² And Dovid said, I will show chesed unto Chanun Ben Nachash, because aviv (his father) showed chesed to me. And Dovid sent malachim to bring condolences to him concerning aviv. So the avadim of Dovid came into the eretz Bnei Ammon to Chanun, to console him.

³ But the sarim of the Bnei Ammon said to Chanun, Thinkest thou that Dovid doth honor avicha, that he hath sent menachamim (comforters) unto thee? Are not his avadim come unto thee for to reconnoiter, and to overthrow, and to spy out ha’aretz?

⁴ Therefore Chanun arrested Dovid’s avadim, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵ Then there went certain ones, and told Dovid about the anashim. And he sent to meet them, for the anashim were greatly humiliated. And HaMelech said, Tarry at Yericho until your zakan be grown, and then return.

⁶ And when the Bnei Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to Dovid, Chanun and the Bnei Ammon sent elef kikar (talents) kesef to hire them chariots and parashim out of Aram Naharayim, and out of Aram Ma’achah, and out of Tzovah.

⁷ So they hired thirty and two elef chariots, and Melech Ma’achah and his troop, who came and encamped before Meidva. And the Bnei Ammon gathered themselves together from their towns, and moved out for milchamah.

⁸ And when Dovid heard of it, he sent Yoav, and kol tzava hagibborim.

⁹ And the Bnei Ammon came out, and drew up for milchamah before the gate of the Ir, and the melachim that were come were by themselves in the sadeh.

¹⁰ Now when Yoav saw that the milchamah was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the best of Yisroel, and deployed them to engage Aram (the Syrians).

¹¹ And the rest of the people he delivered unto the yad of Avishai his brother, and they deployed to engage the Bnei Ammon.

¹² And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt save me, but if the Bnei Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will save thee.

¹³ Chazak (Be strong)! And let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the towns of Eloheinu, and let Hashem do that which is hatov in His eyes.

¹⁴ So Yoav and the troop that were with him drew near before the Syrians unto the milchamah; and they fled before him.

¹⁵ And when the Bnei Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Avishai his brother, and entered into the ir [Rabbah]. Then Yoav returned to Yerushalayim.

¹⁶ And when the Syrians saw that they were routed before Yisroel, they sent malachim, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the River, and Shophach sar tzava Hadadezer went before them.

¹⁷ And it was told Dovid; and he gathered kol Yisroel, and crossed over Yarden, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when Dovid had so deployed, they fought with him.

¹⁸ But the Syrians fled before Yisroel; and Dovid slaughtered of the Syrians shivah alafim in chariots, and forty elef foot soldiers, and killed Shophach sar hatzava.

¹⁹ And when avadim of Hadadezer saw that they were routed before Yisroel, they made shalom with Dovid, and became his avadim; neither would the Syrians help the Bnei Ammon any more. [T.N. 2Sm chp 11 is not repeated here, but the going of Dovid to Rabbah‖-see 2Sm 12:27-29‖is elucidated. In the hero lists, it is important to remember that some in their heroism were corruptible and some were incorruptible, Uriah being one of the latter]

20 (For the one directing. Mizmor Dovid) Hashem hear thee in the Yom Tzarah (day of trouble); the Shem Elohei Ya’akov set thee up on high [i.e., out of reach of your enemies];

² Send thee help from the Kodesh (Holy Sanctuary), and strengthen thee out of Tziyon;

³ Remember all thy minchot, and accept thy olat; Selah.

⁴ Grant thee according to thine own levav, and fulfil kol etzah (plan, counsel) of thine.

⁵ We will shout for joy at thy Yeshuah (salvation), and in the Shem of Eloheinu we will lift up our banners; Hashem grant all thy requests.

⁶ Now I have da’as that Hashem hoshi’a (He saves) His Moshiach; He will answer him from His Sh’mei Kodesh (Holy Heaven) with the saving strength of His right hand.

⁷ Some trust in chariots, and some susim: but we will trust in the Shem Hashem Eloheinu.

⁸ They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen up, and stand firm.

⁹ Hoshi’ah, Hashem, HaMelech! May He hear us on the day when we call.