1 Now it came to pass after this that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon, died, and his son reigned in his stead. 2 And David said, I will show mercy unto Hanun, the son of Nahash, because his father showed mercy to me. And David sent ambassadors to comfort him concerning his father. So the slaves of David came into the land of the sons of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him. 3 But the princes of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun, Does it seem unto thee that David honours thy father, that he has sent comforters unto thee? Are not his slaves come unto thee to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land? 4 Then Hanun took David’s slaves and shaved them, and cut off their garments in half, exposing their buttocks and sent them away. 5 Then they left, and it was 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 are grown and then return.
6 And when the sons of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the sons of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen out of Syria of the rivers (Mesopotamia), and out of Syria of Maachah and out of Zobah. 7 So they hired thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people, who came and pitched camp before Medeba. And the sons of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities and came to battle. 8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of the mighty men. 9 And the sons of Ammon came out and put the battle in order before the gate of the city, and the kings that had come were by themselves in the field.