David’s Messengers Disgraced (1 Chronicles 19:1–9)
1 ULT And it happened after this that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in place of him. BSB BSB: Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun.
2 ULT And David said,“I will do kindness with Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father did kindness with me.” And David sent by the hand of his servants to console him concerning his father. And the servants of David entered the land of the sons of Ammon. BSB BSB: And David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent some of his servants to console Hanun concerning his father. But when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites,
3 ULT And the commanders of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their master,“In your eyes, is David honoring your father, since he has sent consolers to you?{ Is it} not in order to explore the city and to spy on it and to overthrow it{ that} David has sent his servants to you?” BSB BSB: the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?”
4 ULT So Hanun took the servants of David, and he shaved half of their beard, and he cut their garments in the middle, to their buttocks, and he sent them away. BSB BSB: So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.
5 ULT And they declared to David, and he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly humiliated. And the king said,“Stay in Jericho until your beard has grown, then you shall return.” BSB BSB: When this was reported to David, he sent messengers to meet the men, since they had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.”
6 ULT And the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves stink to David. So the sons of Ammon sent and hired Aram of Beth Rehob and Aram of Zoba, 20, 000 footsoldiers, and the king of Maacah, 1, 000 men, and a man of Tob, 12, 000 men. BSB BSB: When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.
7 ULT And David heard, and he sent Joab and all of the army, the mighty. BSB BSB: On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men.
8 ULT And the sons of Ammon came out and arrayed{ for} battle{ at} the entrance of the gate. And Aram of Zobah and Rehob and a man of Tob and Maacah{ were} by themselves in the field. BSB BSB: The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.
David Defeats Ammon and Aram (1 Chronicles 19:10–19)
9 ULT And Joab saw that the faces of the battle were against him from before and from behind, and he chose from all of the chosen of Israel, and he arrayed{ them} to meet Aram. BSB BSB: When Joab saw the battle lines before him and behind him, he selected some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans.
10 ULT And the rest of the people he put in the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed{ them} to meet the sons of Ammon. BSB BSB: And he placed the rest of the troops under the command of his brother Abishai, who arrayed them against the Ammonites.
11 ULT And he said,“If Aram is stronger than me, then you shall be to me for salvation, but if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you, then I will come to save you. BSB BSB: “If the Arameans are too strong for me,” said Joab, “then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.
12 ULT Be strong, and let us use our strength for the sake of our people and for the sake of the cities of our God. And may Yahweh do the good in his eyes.” BSB BSB: Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight.”
13 ULT Then Joab and the people who{ were} with him approached for battle against Aram, and they fled from his face. BSB BSB: So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him.
14 ULT And the sons of Ammon saw that Aram had fled, and they fled from the face of Abishai, and they entered the city. Then Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon, and he came{ to} Jerusalem. BSB BSB: When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai, and they entered the city. So Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.
15 ULT And Aram saw that it had been struck to the face of Israel, and they gathered themselves together. BSB BSB: When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped.
16 ULT And Hadadezer sent, and he brought out Aram that{ was} from beyond the River, and they came{ to} Helam. And Shobach, the commander of the army of Hadadezer,{ was} to their faces. BSB BSB: Hadadezer sent messengers to bring more Arameans from beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.
17 ULT And it was declared to David, and he gathered all of Israel, and he crossed the Jordan, and he came toward Helam. And Aram arrayed themselves to meet David, and they fought with him. BSB BSB: When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought against him.
18 ULT And Aram fled from the face of Israel, and David killed from Aram 700 charioteers and 40, 000 horsemen. And he struck Shobach, the commander of his army, and he died there. BSB BSB: But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, who died there.
19 ULT And all of the kings, servants of Hadadezer, saw that they had been struck to the face of Israel, and they made peace with Israel, and they served them. And Aram feared to save the sons of Ammon anymore. BSB BSB: When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.