Guerra contra os amonitas e arameus
(2 Sm 10.1-19)
1Algum tempo depois, morreu Naás, rei dos amonitas, e seu filho ascendeu ao trono em seu lugar. 2David declarou: “Vou mostrar bondade para com Hanum, filho de Naás, por causa da amizade que o seu pai revelou para comigo.” David enviou embaixadores para expressarem as suas condolências a Hanum pelo falecimento do pai. Quando os embaixadores de David chegaram, 3os conselheiros de Hanum falaram desta forma ao rei amonita: “Esta gente não veio honrar a memória do teu pai. David mandou-os para espiarem a nação antes de a atacar!”
4Então Hanum mandou rapar a barba dos embaixadores e cortar-lhes a roupa que traziam, até à altura das ancas, o que representava um insulto. Depois mandou-os embora, no meio de grande vergonha. 5Quando David teve conhecimento do que acontecera, disse-lhes que ficassem em Jericó até lhes crescer novamente a barba, pois aqueles homens estavam envergonhados por causa do aspeto que tinham. 6Por seu lado, Hanum deu-se conta de como tinha suscitado seriamente a ira de David e mandou estipular, do tesouro do reino, uma soma de 34 toneladas de prata para comprar tropas mercenárias, cavalos de guerra e cavaleiros da Mesopotâmia, de Aram, de Maacá e de Zobá. 7Também alugou 32 000 carros de guerra, bem como o próprio apoio do rei de Maacá e de todo o seu exército. Todas estas tropas acamparam em Medeba, onde se juntaram os amonitas que também vieram para combater.
8Quando contaram isto a David, este enviou Joabe e todo o exército israelita para os atacar. 9O exército dos amonitas saiu-lhes ao encontro e começou o combate às portas da cidade de Medeba. Entretanto, as forças mercenárias aproximaram-se do campo de batalha.
10Joabe, vendo que tinha de lutar em duas frentes, pôs de parte os melhores combatentes das suas tropas e, sob o seu próprio comando, levou-os a confrontarem-se com os arameus na planície. 11Outro grupo, sob o comando do seu irmão Abisai, dirigiu-se contra os amonitas. 12“Se os arameus forem mais fortes do que eu, vem ajudar-me”, disse Joabe ao irmão. “Se os amonitas prevalecerem sobre ti, vou eu ajudar-te. 13Coragem e atuemos como homens que defendem o povo e as cidades do nosso Deus. Que o Senhor faça o que for melhor!”
14Seguidamente, quando Joabe e as suas tropas atacaram, os arameus começaram a fugir. 15Por sua vez, os amonitas ao verem o que estava a acontecer também se puseram a fugir para dentro da cidade. Joabe retirou-se para Jerusalém.
16Depois desta derrota, os arameus mandaram vir mais tropas do oriente do rio Eufrates, conduzidas por Sofaque, o chefe do exército do rei Hadadezer.
17Ao saber dos acontecimentos, David mobilizou todo o Israel, atravessou o rio Jordão e ordenou uma batalha contra as tropas inimigas. 18Os arameus fugiram novamente de David e este matou 7000 condutores de carros de combate e 40 000 soldados. Sofaque, o general das tropas arameias, também foi morto. 19Os aliados de Hadadezer, constatando que os arameus tinham sido derrotados, renderam-se ao rei David e tornaram-se seus servos.
A partir de então, nunca mais os arameus quiseram ajudar os amonitas.
1Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead. 2And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him. 3But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?19.3 Thinkest…: Heb. In thine eyes doth David, etc 4Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away. 5Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.
6¶ And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.19.6 odious: Heb. to stink 7So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle. 8And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. 9And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field. 10Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.19.10 the battle…: Heb. the face of the battle was19.10 choice: or, young men 11And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.19.11 Abishai: Heb. Abshai 12And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee. 13Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight. 14So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him. 15And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.
16¶ And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.19.16 river: that is, Euphrates19.16 Shophach: also called, Shobach 17And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host. 19And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.
