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MAY 19
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ate continually at the king’s table. And he was you. Be of good courage, and let us be strong
lame in both his feet. for our people and for the cities of our God.
It happened after this that the king of the And may the LORD do what is good in His
10 people of Ammon died, and Hanun his sight.”
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son reigned in his place. Then David said, “I 13 So Joab and the people who were with him
will show kindness to Hanun the son of drew near for the battle against the Syrians,
Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” and they fled before him. When the people of
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So David sent by the hand of his servants to Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing,
comfort him concerning his father. And David’s they also fled before Abishai, and entered the
servants came into the land of the people of city. So Joab returned from the people of
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Ammon. And the princes of the people of Ammon and went to Jerusalem.
Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think 15 When the Syrians saw that they had been
that David really honors your father because defeated by Israel, they gathered together.
he has sent comforters to you? Has David not 16 Then Hadadezer sent and brought out the
rather sent his servants to you to search the Syrians who were beyond the River, and they
city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?” came to Helam. And Shobach the commander
4 Therefore Hanun took David’s servants, of Hadadezer’s army went before them.
shaved off half of their beards, cut off their gar- 17 When it was told David, he gathered all Is-
ments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent rael, crossed over the Jordan, and came to
them away. When they told David, he sent to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in bat-
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meet them, because the men were greatly tle array against David and fought with him.
ashamed. And the king said, “Wait at Jericho 18 Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and Da-
until your beards have grown, and then return.” vid killed seven hundred charioteers and forty
thousand horsemen of the Syrians, and struck
Shobach the commander of their army, who
died there. And when all the kings who were
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10:4 shaved off half of their beards. Forced servants to Hadadezer saw that they were
shaving was considered an insult and a sign of defeated by Israel, they made peace with Is-
submission (Is. 7:20). cut off their gar- rael and served them. So the Syrians were
ments…at their buttocks. To those who afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore.
wore long garments in that time, exposure of Psalm 65:1–8
the buttocks was a shameful practice inflicted
on prisoners of war (Is. 20:4). To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. A Song.
P raise is awaiting You,
O God, in Zion;
6 When the people of Ammon saw that they And to You the vow shall be performed.
had made themselves repulsive to David, the 2 O You who hear prayer,
people of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians To You all flesh will come.
of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twen- 3 Iniquities prevail against me;
ty thousand foot soldiers; and from the king of As for our transgressions,
Maacah one thousand men, and from Ish-Tob You will provide atonement for them.
twelve thousand men. Now when David
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4 Blessed is the man You choose,
heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the
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mighty men. Then the people of Ammon And cause to approach You,
came out and put themselves in battle array at That he may dwell in Your courts.
the entrance of the gate. And the Syrians of We shall be satisfied with the goodness
Zoba, Beth Rehob, Ish-Tob, and Maacah were of Your house,
by themselves in the field. Of Your holy temple.
9 When Joab saw that the battle line was 5 By awesome deeds in righteousness You
against him before and behind, he chose some will answer us,
of Israel’s best and put them in battle array O God of our salvation,
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against the Syrians. And the rest of the peo- You who are the confidence of all the
ple he put under the command of Abishai his ends of the earth,
brother, that he might set them in battle array And of the far-off seas;
against the people of Ammon. Then he said, 6 Who established the mountains by His
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“If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you strength,
shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are Being clothed with power;
too strong for you, then I will come and help 7 You who still the noise of the seas,
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