1After this, Nahash king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place.2David said, I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. The servants of David came to the land of the children of Ammon, to Hanun, to comfort him.3The rulers of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Does David honor your father in your sight by sending comforters to you? Has he not sent them in order to search out, to overturn, and to spy on the land?4Hanun took David's servants, shaved them, cut their garments in half to the hip, and sent them away.5They went and reported to David about the men, and he sent men to meet them, because the men were greatly humiliated. The king said, Stay in Jericho until your beard grows, and then return.6When the children of Ammon realized they had become odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Aram-Naharaim, Aram Maacah, and Zobah.7They hired thirty-two thousand chariots along with the king of Maacah and his people. They came and camped before Medeba, while the children of Ammon gathered from their cities and came to battle.8When David heard of it, he sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men.9The children of Ammon came out and drew up for battle at the entrance of the city, while the kings who had come remained by themselves in the field.10Joab saw that the battle confronted him both in front and behind. He therefore selected some of Israel's best men and arranged them to meet Aram.11The rest of the troops he placed under the command of Abishai his brother, and they drew up to meet the children of Ammon.12He said, If Aram proves too strong for me, then you must come to my rescue; but if the children of Ammon prove too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.13Be strong, and let us show ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what seems good in his sight.14Joab and the troops with him advanced to engage Aram in battle, and Aram fled before him.15When the children of Ammon saw that Aram had fled, they too fled before Abishai his brother and withdrew into the city. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem.16When Aram realized they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans from beyond the River, with Shophach, commander of Hadadezer's army, at their head.17David was informed, so he assembled all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced against them, and drew up his forces. David then arranged his army against Aram for battle and engaged them.18Aram fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand Aramean charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers; Shophach, commander of the army, also died.19When Hadadezer's servants saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. Thereafter Aram was unwilling to assist the children of Ammon any longer.