2 Samuel 10:9-14

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. ¹  10:10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army ²  and they were deployed ³  against the Ammonites. 10:11 Joab ⁴  said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, ⁵  you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, ⁶  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!” ⁷ 

10:13 So Joab and his men ⁸  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 ⁹  Jerusalem. ¹⁰ 

[10:9]  ¹ 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]  ² tn Heb “people.”

[10:10]  ³ tn Heb “he arranged.”

[10:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”

[10:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”

[10:12]  ⁷ tn Heb “and the Lord will do what is good in his eyes.”

[10:13]  ⁸ tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”

[10:14]  ⁹ tn Heb “and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered.”

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