1And it came to pass after this that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.2David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent his servants to comfort him concerning his father, and the servants of David came into the land of the sons of Ammon.3The rulers of the sons of Ammon said to their lord Hanun, "Does David honor your father in your sight because he has sent comforters to you? Has he not sent his servants to you in order to search out the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?"4Hanun took the servants of David and shaved half of their beard and cut their garments in half up to their buttocks, and sent them away.5When this was told to David, he sent men to meet them, because the men were greatly humiliated. The king said, "Stay at Jericho until your beard grows back, and then return."6When the sons of Ammon realized they had become odious to David, they sent and hired Aram of Beth-rehob and Aram of Zobah with twenty thousand foot soldiers, the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and the men of Tob with twelve thousand men.7David heard of it and sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.8The sons of Ammon came out and drew up for battle at the entrance of the gate, while Aram of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were positioned by themselves in the field.9Joab saw that the battle confronted him from front and rear. He selected some of the best men of Israel and arranged them to meet Aram.10The rest of the people he placed under the command of Abishai his brother, and he arranged them to meet the sons of Ammon.11He said, "If Aram proves stronger than I, then you shall come to my aid; and if the sons of Ammon prove stronger than you, then I will come to your aid."12Be strong, and let us show ourselves strong for the sake of our people and for the sake of the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in his sight.13Joab and the people with him advanced to battle against Aram, and Aram fled before him.14When the sons of Ammon saw that Aram had fled, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting the sons of Ammon and came to Jerusalem.15Aram saw that they had been defeated by Israel, so they gathered themselves together.16Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River; they came to Helam, and Shobach the commander of Hadadezer's army was with them.17When David was told, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. Aram drew up in array to meet David and fought against him.18Aram fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred chariot teams and forty thousand horsemen of Aram; he also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there.19When all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. Aram was afraid to help the sons of Ammon any longer.