David Defeats the Ammonites and the Syrians
(1 Chronicles 19.1-19)1 Some time later King Nahash of Ammon died, and his son Hanun became king. 2 King David said, “I must show loyal friendship to Hanun, as his father Nahash did to me.” So David sent messengers to express his sympathy.
When they arrived in Ammon, 3 the Ammonite leaders said to the king, “Do you think that it is in your father's honor that David has sent these men to express sympathy to you? Of course not! He has sent them here as spies to explore the city, so that he can conquer us!”
4 Hanun seized David's messengers, shaved off one side of their beards, cut off their clothes at the hips, and sent them away. 5 They were too ashamed to return home. When David heard about what had happened, he sent word for them to stay in Jericho and not return until their beards had grown again.
6 The Ammonites realized that they had made David their enemy, so they hired twenty thousand Syrian soldiers from Bethrehob and Zobah, twelve thousand men from Tob, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men. 7 David heard of it and sent Joab against them with the whole army. 8 The Ammonites marched out and took up their position at the entrance to Rabbah, their capital city, while the others, both the Syrians and the men from Tob and Maacah, took up their position in the open countryside.
9 Joab saw that the enemy troops would attack him in front and from the rear, so he chose the best of Israel's soldiers and put them in position facing the Syrians. 10 He placed the rest of his troops under the command of his brother Abishai, who put them in position facing the Ammonites. 11 Joab said to him, “If you see that the Syrians are defeating me, come and help me, and if the Ammonites are defeating you, I will go and help you. 12 Be strong and courageous! Let's fight hard for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord's will be done!”
13 Joab and his men advanced to attack, and the Syrians fled. 14 When the Ammonites saw the Syrians running away, they fled from Abishai and retreated into the city. Then Joab turned back from fighting the Ammonites and went back to Jerusalem.
15 The Syrians realized that they had been defeated by the Israelites, and so they called all their troops together. 16 King Hadadezer sent for the Syrians who were on the east side of the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam under the command of Shobach, commander of the army of King Hadadezer of Zobah. 17 When David heard of it, he gathered the Israelite troops, crossed the Jordan River, and marched to Helam, where the Syrians took up their position facing him. The fighting began, 18 and the Israelites drove the Syrian army back. David and his men killed seven hundred Syrian chariot drivers and forty thousand cavalry, and they wounded Shobach, the enemy commander, who died on the battlefield. 19 When the kings who were subject to Hadadezer realized that they had been defeated by the Israelites, they made peace with them and became their subjects. And the Syrians were afraid to help the Ammonites any more.
Amoniešu un sīriešu sakāve
(1L 19:1–19)1 Pēc kāda laika nomira amoniešu ķēniņš, un pēc tam sāka valdīt viņa dēls Hānūns. 2 Dāvids domāja: “Izrādīšu laipnību Nāhāša dēlam Hānūnam, jo viņa tēvs bija vēlīgs man.” Un Dāvids sūtīja savus kalpus izteikt viņam līdzjūtību par tēvu. Kad Dāvida kalpi nonāca amoniešu zemē, 3 amoniešu augstmaņi teica savam kungam Hānūnam: “Vai tu domā, ka Dāvids sūtījis pie tevis mierinātājus aiz cieņas pret tavu tēvu? Vai tik viņš nav sūtījis pie tevis savus kalpus, lai izpētītu, izlūkotu un izspiegotu pilsētu?!” 4 Tad Hānūns saņēma Dāvida kalpus, noskuva tiem pusi bārdas, nogrieza apģērbu līdz gurniem un aizraidīja viņus prom. 5 To pastāstīja Dāvidam, un viņš sūtīja tiem pretī, jo šie vīri bija ļoti pazemoti. Ķēniņš sacīja: “Palieciet Jērikā, līdz jums ataug bārda, tad varat nākt atpakaļ.” 6 Kad amonieši redzēja, ka Dāvids viņus uzskata par smerdeļiem, tie sūtīja nolīgt Bēt-Rehobas un Cobas aramiešus – divdesmit tūkstošus kājnieku, kā arī Maahas ķēniņu ar tūkstoš vīriem un Tobas vīrus – divpadsmit tūkstošus. 7 Kad Dāvids to uzzināja, viņš sūtīja Joābu un visu spēkavīru pulku. 8 Amonieši iznāca pie pilsētas vārtiem un izvietojās kaujai, bet Cobas un Rehobas aramieši, kā arī Tobas un Maahas vīri stāvēja nomaļus. 9 Kad Joābs redzēja, ka pret viņu ir nostājušies kaujai gan no priekšpuses, gan aizmugures, viņš izvēlējās labākos Israēla vīrus un izvietoja pret Arāmu. 10 Pārējos ļaudis viņš nodeva savam brālim Abīšajam, un viņš tos izvietoja pret amoniešiem. 11 Joābs sacīja: “Ja aramieši būs stiprāki par mani, tad tu nāc man palīgā, bet, ja amonieši būs stiprāki par tevi, es iešu palīgā tev! 12 Esi stiprs, un būsim stipri savu ļaužu un mūsu Dieva pilsētu dēļ! Kungs darīs, kā viņam šķiet labi!” 13 Joābs ar saviem ļaudīm devās uzbrukumā aramiešiem, un tie bēga no viņa. 14 Kad amonieši ieraudzīja, ka aramieši bēg, tad arī viņi metās bēgt no Abīšaja un iebēga pilsētā. Tad Joābs pārtrauca kauju ar amoniešiem un devās uz Jeruzālemi. 15 Aramieši, redzēdami, ka Israēls viņus sakāvis, sapulcējās vienuviet. 16 Hadadezers sūtīja ataicināt tos aramiešus, kas viņpus upei, un tie atnāca uz Hēlāmu ar Hadadezera karaspēka virspavēlnieku Šobahu priekšgalā.
17 To pastāstīja Dāvidam. Viņš sapulcināja visu Israēlu, pārgāja Jardānai un nonāca Hēlāmā. Aramieši izvietojās pretī Dāvidam un cīnījās ar viņu. 18 Aramieši bēga no Israēla, un Dāvids nokāva aramiešiem septiņus simtus kararatu braucēju un četrdesmit tūkstošus jātnieku. Viņš notrieca Šobahu, viņu karaspēka virspavēlnieku, un tas turpat nomira. 19 Kad visi ķēniņi, Hadadezera kalpi, redzēja, ka Israēls tos sakāvis, tie slēdza mieru ar Israēlu un kalpoja tam. Turpmāk aramieši baidījās palīdzēt amoniešiem.
