Amoniešu un sīriešu sakāve
(2Sam 10:1–19)
1 Pēc kāda laika nomira amoniešu ķēniņš Nāhāšs, un pēc viņa sāka valdīt tā dēls. 2 Dāvids sacīja: “Es izrādīšu laipnību Nāhāša dēlam Hānūnam, jo viņa tēvs izrādīja laipnību man!” Un Dāvids sūtīja vēstnešus izteikt līdzjūtību par viņa tēvu. Dāvida kalpi devās uz amoniešu zemi pie Hānūna izteikt līdzjūtību. 3 Bet amoniešu augstmaņi sacīja Hānūnam: “Vai tu domā, ka Dāvids ir godājis tavu tēvu, sūtīdams paust līdzjūtību? Vai viņa kalpi nav nākuši pie tevis izpētīt, izlūkot un izspiegot zemi?”
4 Tad Hānūns saņēma Dāvida kalpus, noskuva tos un apgrieza viņiem apģērbu līdz gurniem un aizraidīja viņus prom. 5 Tiklīdz Dāvidam pastāstīja par tiem vīriem, viņš sūtīja tiem pretī, jo šie vīri bija ļoti pazemoti. Ķēniņš sacīja: “Palieciet Jērikā, līdz jums ataug bārda, un tikai tad atgriezieties.” 6 Kad amonieši saprata, ka padarījuši sevi par smerdeļiem Dāvida priekšā, Hānūns un amonieši sūtīja tūkstoš sudraba talantus, lai nolīgtu kararatus un jātniekus no Aram-Naharaimas, Aram-Maahas un Cobas. 7 Viņi nolīga trīsdesmit divus tūkstošus kararatu, kā arī Maahas ķēniņu ar viņa ļaudīm. Tie nāca un apmetās pretī Mēdbai, un amonieši tika sapulcēti no savām pilsētām un nāca cīnīties.
8 To uzzinājis, Dāvids sūtīja turp Joābu un visa karaspēka varonīgos karavīrus. 9 Amonieši iznāca pie pilsētas vārtiem un izvietojās kaujai, bet atnākušie ķēniņi stāvēja nomaļus laukā. 10 Joābs redzēja, ka gan priekšā, gan aizmugurē pret viņu ir sastājušies kaujai. Viņš no visa Israēla izvēlējās labākos un izvietoja pret Arāmu. 11 Pārējos ļaudis viņš norīkoja pie sava brāļa Abīšaja, un tie nostājās pret amoniešiem. 12 Viņš sacīja: “Ja aramieši būs stiprāki par mani, tad tu nāc man palīgā, bet, ja amonieši būs stiprāki par tevi, es iešu palīgā tev! 13 Esi stiprs, un būsim stipri savu ļaužu un mūsu Dieva pilsētu dēļ! Kungs darīs, kā viņam šķiet labi!”
14 Joābs ar saviem ļaudīm devās uzbrukumā aramiešiem, un tie bēga no viņa. 15 Kad amonieši ieraudzīja, ka aramieši bēg, tad arī viņi metās bēgt no Joāba brāļa Abīšaja un iebēga pilsētā. Pēc tam Joābs devās uz Jeruzālemi.
16 Kad aramieši redzēja, ka Israēls tos ir sakāvis, tie sūtīja vēstnešus un lika ierasties tiem aramiešiem, kas dzīvo aiz Eifrātas upes, ar Hadadezera karaspēka virspavēlnieku Šobahu priekšgalā. 17 To pateica Dāvidam, un viņš, sapulcinājis visu Israēlu, šķērsoja Jardānu, devās turp un nostājās tiem pretī. Dāvids izvietojās kaujai ar aramiešiem, un tie ar viņu cīnījās. 18 Aramieši bēga no Israēla. Dāvids nokāva septiņus tūkstošus aramiešu kararatu vīru un četrdesmit tūkstošus kājnieku, un nonāvēja arī karaspēka virspavēlnieku Šobahu. 19 Kad Hadadezera kalpi redzēja, ka Israēls tos sakāvis, tie noslēdza mieru ar Dāvidu un kalpoja viņam. Aramieši nekad vairs nemēģināja palīdzēt amoniešiem.
Israel Fights Ammon and Syria
(2 Samuel 10.1-19)
1 Some time later, King Nahash of Ammon died, and his son Hanun became king. 2 David said, “Nahash was kind to me, so I will be kind to his son.” He sent some officials to Ammon to tell Hanun how sorry he was that his father had died.
But when David's officials arrived at Ammon, 3 the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun, “Do you really believe King David is honoring your father by sending these men to comfort you? He probably sent them to spy on our country, so he can come and destroy it.”
4 Hanun arrested David's officials and had their beards shaved off and their robes cut off just below the waist, and then he sent them away. 5 They were terribly ashamed.
When David found out what had happened to his officials, he sent a message that told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back. Then you can come home.”
6 The Ammonites realized they had made David furious. So they paid 34 tons of silver to hire chariot troops from Mesopotamia and from the Syrian kingdoms of Maacah and Zobah. 7 Thirty-two thousand troops, as well as the king of Maacah and his army, came and camped near Medeba. The Ammonite troops also left their towns and came to prepare for battle.
8 David heard what was happening, and he sent out Joab with his army. 9 The Ammonite troops marched to the entrance of the city and prepared for battle, while the Syrian troops took their positions in the open fields.
10 Joab saw that the enemy troops were lined up on both sides of him. So he picked some of the best Israelite soldiers to fight the Syrians. 11 Then he put his brother Abishai in command of the rest of the army and told them to fight against the Ammonites. 12 Joab told his brother, “If the Syrians are too much for me to handle, come and help me. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I'll come and help you. 13 Be brave and fight hard to protect our people and the towns of our Lord God. I pray he will do whatever pleases him.”
14 Joab and his soldiers attacked the Syrians, and the Syrians ran from them. 15 When the Ammonite troops saw that the Syrians had run away, they ran from Abishai's soldiers and went back into their own city. Joab then returned to Jerusalem.
16 As soon as the Syrians realized they had been defeated, they sent for their troops that were stationed on the other side of the Euphrates River. Shophach, the commander of Hadadezer's army, led these troops to Ammon.
17 David found out what the Syrians were doing, and he brought Israel's entire army together. They crossed the Jordan River, and he commanded them to take their positions facing the Syrian troops.
Soon after the fighting began, 18 the Syrians ran from Israel. David killed 7,000 chariot troops and 40,000 regular soldiers. He also killed Shophach, their commander.
19 When the kings who had been under Hadadezer's rule saw that Israel had defeated them, they made peace with David and accepted him as their new ruler. The Syrians never helped the Ammonites again.