David Defeats the Ammonites
1In the course of time, Nahash king of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him as king. 2David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.
When David’s envoys came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to him, 3the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Haven’t his envoys come to you only to explore and spy out the country and overthrow it?” 4So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved them, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.
5When someone came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”
6When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents19:6 That is, about 38 tons or about 34 metric tons of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim,19:6 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia Aram Maakah and Zobah. 7They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maakah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle.
8On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. 9The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.
10Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. 11He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites. 12Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you. 13Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”
14Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. 15When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.
16After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.
17When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him. 18But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak the commander of their army.
19When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him.
So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore.
Vita Dhidi Ya Waamoni
(2 Samweli 10:1-19)
119:1 2Nya 20:1-2; Sef 2:8-11; 2Sam 10:1Baada ya muda, Nahashi mfalme wa Waamoni akafa, mwanawe akaingia mahali pake. 2Daudi akawaza, “Nitamtendea wema Hanuni mwana wa Nahashi, kwa sababu baba yake alinitendea wema.”
Hivyo Daudi akatuma wajumbe ili kumfariji Hanuni kwa ajili ya kifo cha baba yake. Watu wa Daudi walipofika kwa Hanuni katika nchi ya Waamoni ili kumfariji, 319:3 Hes 21:32wakuu wa Waamoni wakamwambia Hanuni, “Hivi unadhani Daudi anamheshimu baba yako kwa kuwatuma wajumbe kukufariji? Je, hawa watu hawakuja kuipeleleza na kuidadisi nchi ili waishinde?” 4Kwa hiyo Hanuni akawakamata watu wa Daudi, akawanyoa ndevu akakata nguo zao katikati kwenye matako, akawaacha waende zao.
519:5 1Fal 16:34; Amu 16:22; Yos 6:24-26Mtu mmoja alipofika na kumpasha Daudi habari za watu hawa, akawatuma wajumbe wengine kuwalaki, kwa maana walikuwa wamevunjiwa heshima sana. Mfalme akasema, “Kaeni huko Yeriko mpaka ndevu zenu ziote, ndipo mje.”
619:6 Mwa 34:30; 1Nya 18:3; 1Sam 14:47; 2Sam 8:3; 10:6; 1Fal 11:23Waamoni walipotambua kuwa wamekuwa machukizo kwa Daudi, Hanuni na Waamoni wakatuma talanta 1,00019:6 Talanta 1,000 za fedha ni sawa na tani 34. za fedha ili kukodisha magari ya vita pamoja na waendeshaji wa hayo magari ya kukokotwa na farasi, kutoka Aramu-Naharaimu,19:6 Yaani Mesopotamia ya Kaskazini-Magharibi. Aramu-Maaka na Soba. 719:7 Hes 21:30; Yos 13:9-16; Isa 15:2Wakakodisha magari ya vita 32,000 yakiwa na waendeshaji wake, pamoja na mfalme wa Maaka na vikosi vyake, wakaja na kupiga kambi karibu na Medeba. Waamoni nao wakakusanyika toka miji yao, wakatoka ili kupigana vita.
8Daudi aliposikia jambo hili, akamtuma Yoabu na jeshi lote la wapiganaji. 9Waamoni wakatoka wakajipanga wakiwa tayari kwa vita langoni la mji wao, wakati wale wafalme wengine waliokuja nao walijipanga kwa vita uwanjani.
10Yoabu akaona kuwa mbele yake na nyuma yake kumepangwa vita; kwa hiyo akachagua baadhi ya vikosi vilivyo bora sana katika Israeli akavipanga dhidi ya Waaramu. 1119:11 1Sam 26:6Akawaweka wale wanajeshi wengine waliobaki chini ya amri ya Abishai ndugu yake, nao wakapangwa ili wakabiliane na Waamoni. 12Yoabu akasema, “Kama Waaramu watanizidi nguvu, basi itakupasa wewe unisaidie; lakini kama Waamoni watakuzidi nguvu, basi mimi nitakusaidia. 1319:13 Isa 30:18; Yer 17:5-8; Za 20:7; 34:22; Mt 16:3, 20Uwe hodari na tupigane kwa ujasiri kwa ajili ya watu wetu na miji ya Mungu wetu. Bwana atafanya lile lililo jema machoni pake.”
1419:14 Law 26:7-8; Hes 14:9; Kum 28:7Basi Yoabu na vikosi vyake wakasonga mbele kupigana na Waaramu, nao Waaramu wakakimbia mbele yake. 15Waamoni walipoona Waaramu wanakimbia, nao pia wakakimbia mbele ya nduguye Abishai na kuingia ndani ya mji. Basi Yoabu akarudi Yerusalemu.
1619:16 2Sam 10:16Baada ya Waaramu kuona kwamba wameshindwa na Israeli, wakapeleka wajumbe na kuwataka Waaramu wengine kutoka ngʼambo ya Mto Frati, wakiongozwa na Shofaki, jemadari wa jeshi la Hadadezeri.
17Daudi alipoambiwa haya, akawakusanya Israeli wote na kuvuka Yordani. Akasonga mbele dhidi yao na akajipanga kuwakabili. Daudi akapanga vita ili kupigana na Waaramu, nao wakapigana dhidi yake. 1819:18 Za 33:16; Mit 21:31Lakini Waaramu wakakimbia mbele ya Israeli, naye Daudi akawaua waendesha magari 7,000 na askari wao wa miguu 40,000. Pia akamuua Shofaki, jemadari wa jeshi lao.
19Raiya wa Hadadezeri walipoona kuwa wameshindwa na Israeli, wakafanya mapatano ya amani na Daudi, wakawa watumishi wake.
Hivyo Waaramu hawakukubali kuwasaidia Waamoni tena.
