Accidit autem ut moreretur Naas rex filiorum Ammon, et regnaret filius ejus pro eo.

When Naas, king of the Ammonites, died, and his son came to the throne,

Now it came to pass that Naas the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.

Dixitque David: Faciam misericordiam cum Hanon filio Naas: præstitit enim mihi pater ejus gratiam. Misitque David nuntios ad consolandum eum super morte patris sui. Qui cum pervenissent in terram filiorum Ammon ut consolarentur Hanon,

David thought to himself, I will shew friendliness to Hanon, as his father Naas did to me; and he dispatched envoys to condole with him over his father’s death. But when these reached the Ammonite country on their mission,

And David said: I will shew kindness to Hanon the son of Naas: for his father did a favour to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him upon the death of his father. But when they were come into the land of the children of Ammon, to comfort Hanon,

dixerunt principes filiorum Ammon ad Hanon: Tu forsitan putas, quod David honoris causa in patrem tuum miserit qui consolentur te: nec animadvertis quod ut explorent, et investigent, et scrutentur terram tuam, venerint ad te servi ejus.

the chiefs there said to Hanon, What, David send messengers to comfort thee, in honour of thy father’s memory? Nay, if he has sent men here, they are spies ready to search thy land and make report on it.

The princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanon: Thou thinkest perhaps that David to do honour to thy father hath sent comforters to thee: and thou dost not take notice, that his servants are come to thee to consider, and search, and spy out thy land.

Igitur Hanon pueros David decalvavit, et rasit, et præcidit tunicas eorum a natibus usque ad pedes, et dimisit eos.

So Hanon robbed David’s men of their shoes, shaved them, and cut off the skirts of their clothes, feet to buttocks, and in that guise sent them back.

Wherefore Hanon shaved the heads and beards of the servants of David, and cut away their garments from the buttocks to the feet, and sent them away.

Qui cum abiissent, et hoc mandassent David, misit in occursum eorum (grandem enim contumeliam sustinuerant) et præcepit ut manerent in Jericho, donec cresceret barba eorum, et tunc reverterentur.

When the news reached him of their return, David sent to meet them, covered with confusion as they were, and bade them wait in Jericho, not returning home until their beards were grown again.

And when they were gone, they sent word to David, who sent to meet them (for they had suffered a great affront) and ordered them to stay at Jericho till their beards grew and then to return.

Videntes autem filii Ammon quod injuriam fecissent David, tam Hanon quam reliquus populus, miserunt mille talenta argenti, ut conducerent sibi de Mesopotamia, et de Syria Maacha, et de Soba currus et equites.

Meanwhile Hanon and the Ammonites, well aware that they had made an enemy of David, sent and hired mercenaries, with a thousand talents of silver, from Mesopotamia, and the Syrians of Maacha, and from Soba, with chariots, too, and horsemen.

And when the children of Ammon saw that they had done an injury to David, Hanon and the rest of the people sent a thousand talents of silver, to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria Maacha, and out of Soba.

Conduxeruntque triginta duo millia curruum, et regem Maacha cum populo ejus. Qui cum venissent, castrametati sunt e regione Medaba. Filii quoque Ammon congregati de urbibus suis venerunt ad bellum.

Thirty-two thousand they hired, as well as the king of Maacha with his army; all these came and pitched their tents before Medaba, and the Ammonites themselves left their cities, to offer battle.

And they hired two and thirty thousand chariots, and the king of Maacha, with his people. And they came and camped over against Medaba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together out of their cities, and came to battle.

Quod cum audisset David, misit Joab, et omnem exercitum virorum fortium:

Upon hearing the news, David sent the whole of his forces to engage them, under Joab.

And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of valiant men:

egressique filii Ammon, direxerunt aciem juxta portam civitatis; reges autem, qui ad auxilium ejus venerant, separatim in agro steterunt.

The Ammonites had come out from the city, and drawn up their line at its gates; the kings who had come to aid them were at a distance, out in the open country.

And the children of Ammon came out and put their army in array before the gate of the city: and the kings, that were come to their aid, stood apart in the field.

Igitur Joab, intelligens bellum ex adverso et post tergum contra se fieri, elegit viros fortissimos de universo Israël, et perrexit contra Syrum.

And Joab, seeing that he would be attacked both in front and from the rear, chose the best of his troops and led them out against the Syrians,

Wherefore Joab understanding that the battle was set against him before and behind, chose out the bravest men of all Israel, and marched against the Syrians,

Reliquam autem partem populi dedit sub manu Abisai fratris sui: et perrexerunt contra filios Ammon.

leaving the rest, under his brother Abisai, to march against the Ammonites.

And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abisai his brother, and they went against the children of Ammon.

Dixitque: Si vicerit me Syrus, auxilio eris mihi: si autem superaverint te filii Ammon, ero tibi in præsidium.

Bring me aid, said Joab, if the Syrians are too strong for me, and I, if the Ammonites have the mastery, will bring thee aid instead.

And 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, I will help thee.

Confortare, et agamus viriliter pro populo nostro, et pro urbibus Dei nostri: Dominus autem, quod in conspectu suo bonum est, faciet.

Play the man; fight we valiantly for our people, and for the city walls that are sacred to our God; the Lord’s will be done.

Be of good courage and let us behave ourselves manfully for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord will do that which is good in his sight.

Perrexit ergo Joab et populus qui cum eo erat, contra Syrum ad prælium: et fugavit eos.

So Joab and his men engaged the Syrians and routed them;

So Joab and the people that were with him, went against the Syrians to the battle: and he put them to flight.

Porro filii Ammon videntes quod fugisset Syrus, ipsi quoque fugerunt Abisai fratrem ejus, et ingressi sunt civitatem: reversusque est etiam Joab in Jerusalem.

and the Ammonites, seeing the Syrians in full flight, gave way in their turn before the onslaught of his brother Abisai, retreating into the city. Thereupon Joab went back to Jerusalem.

And the children of Ammon seeing that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled from Abisai his brother, and went into the city: and Joab also returned to Jerusalem.

Videns autem Syrus quod cecidisset coram Israël, misit nuntios, et adduxit Syrum, qui erat trans fluvium: Sophach autem princeps militiæ Adarezer erat dux eorum.

Thus defeated, the Syrians dispatched messengers and brought their fellow tribesmen on the further side of the river to their aid; Sophach, Adarezer’s general, was in command of them.

But the Syrians seeing that they had fallen before Israel, sent messengers, and brought to them the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Sophach, general of the army of Adarezer, was their leader.

Quod cum nuntiatum esset David, congregavit universum Israël, et transivit Jordanem, irruitque in eos et direxit ex adverso aciem, illis contra pugnantibus.

David, as soon as he heard the news, mustered the whole forces of Israel, and marched across the Jordan; he went straight to the attack, and they, seeing him drawn up in battle array, prepared to meet him.

And it was told David, and he gathered together all Israel, and passed the Jordan, and came upon them, and put his army in array against them, and they fought with him.

Fugit autem Syrus Israël, et interfecit David de Syris septem millia curruum, et quadraginta millia peditum, et Sophach exercitus principem.

But the Syrians were routed by Israel, with a loss of seven thousand chariots and forty thousand foot soldiers; Sophach himself was among the slain.

But the Syrian fled before Israel: and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and Sophach the general of the army.

Videntes autem servi Adarezer se ab Israël esse superatos, transfugerunt ad David, et servierunt ei: noluitque ultra Syria auxilium præbere filiis Ammon.

And now all the vassals of Adarezer, seeing that they were no match for Israel, went over to David and became his subjects; and no more was heard of the Syrians bringing aid to the men of Ammon.

And when the servants of Adarezer saw themselves overcome by Israel, they went over to David, and served him: and Syria would not help the children of Ammon any more.