1 After this, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place. 2 David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent his servants to comfort him over his father’s death. David’s servants came to the land of the Ammonites. 3 But the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending you comforters? Has David not sent his servants to examine the city, spy it out and overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half their beards, cut their garments in half at the buttocks and sent them away. 5 When David was told, he sent to meet them, for the men were deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back, and then return.” 6 When the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves hated by David, they sent and hired the Arameans of Beth-rehob and Zobah, twenty thousand foot soldiers, along with the king of Maacah with a thousand men and twelve thousand men of Tob. 7 When David heard of it, he sent Joab and the whole army of mighty men. 8 The Ammonites came out and drew up for battle at the entrance of the gate. The Arameans of Zobah and Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the field. 9 When Joab saw that the battle was arrayed against him in front and behind, he chose some of Israel’s best men and drew them up against the Arameans. 10 He put the rest of the people under the command of his brother Abishai, who drew them up against the Ammonites. 11 Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, you must come to my help. But if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come to help you. 12 Be strong, and let us be courageous for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in his eyes.” 13 Joab and the people with him advanced to battle 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. Then Joab turned back from the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem. 15 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated before Israel, they gathered together. 16 Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans from beyond the river. They came to Helam, with Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer’s army, at their head. 17 When David was told, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Arameans drew up against David and fought him.

18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed the crews of seven hundred Aramean chariots and forty thousand horsemen. He also struck Shobach, the commander of their army, who died there. 19 When all the kings who served Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. The Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.