2 Samuel 10:6-14

10:6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, ¹  they ²  sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah, ³  in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish-tob. ⁴ 

10:7 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. ⁵  10:8 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish-tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.

10:9 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans. ⁶  10:10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army ⁷  and they were deployed ⁸  against the Ammonites. 10:11 Joab ⁹  said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, ¹⁰  you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, ¹¹  I will come to your rescue. 10:12 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!” ¹² 

10:13 So Joab and his men ¹³  marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him. 10:14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to ¹⁴  Jerusalem. ¹⁵ 

[10:6]  ¹ tn Heb “that they were a stench [i.e., disgusting] with David.”

[10:6]  ² tn Heb “the Ammonites.”

[10:6]  ³ tn Or “Arameans of Beth Rehob and Arameans of Zobah.”

[10:6]  ⁴ tn Or perhaps “the men of Tob.” The ancient versions (the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate) understand the name to be “Ish-tob.” It is possible that “Ish” is dittographic and that we should read simply “Tob,” a reading adopted by a number of recent English versions.

[10:7]  ⁵ tn The words “the news” and “to meet them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.

[10:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “and Joab saw that the face of the battle was to him before and behind and he chose from all the best in Israel and arranged to meet Aram.”

[10:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “people.”

[10:10]  ⁸ tn Heb “he arranged.”

[10:11]  ⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:11]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”

[10:11]  ¹¹ tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”

[10:12]  ¹² tn Heb “and the Lord will do what is good in his eyes.”

[10:13]  ¹³ tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”

[10:14]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered.”

[10:14]  ¹⁵ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.