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1 | Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the
children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead. |
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2 | And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of
Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David
sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the
servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon
to Hanun, to comfort him. |
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3 | But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun,
Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath
sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee
for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land? |
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4 | Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and
cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks,
and sent them away. |
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5 | Then there went certain, and told David how the men were
served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly
ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards
be grown, and then return. |
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6 | And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made
themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon
sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and
horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out
of Zobah. |
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7 | So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king
of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba.
And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from
their cities, and came to battle. |
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8 | And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of
the mighty men. |
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9 | And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in
array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were
come were by themselves in the field. |
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10 | Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before
and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put
them in array against the Syrians. |
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11 | And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of
Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against
the children of Ammon. |
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12 | And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou
shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for
thee, then I will help thee. |
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13 | Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for
our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do
that which is good in his sight. |
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14 | So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the
Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him. |
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15 | And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled,
they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered
into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem. |
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16 | And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse
before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the
Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain
of the host of Hadarezer went before them. |
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17 | And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed
over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array
against them. So when David had put the battle in array
against the Syrians, they fought with him. |
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18 | But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the
Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty
thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host. |
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19 | And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to
the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and
became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the
children of Ammon any more. |
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