The Reign of David

And when Dauid heard, he sent Ioab and all the hoste of the valiant men.

And the children of Ammon came out, and set their battell in aray at the gate of the citie. And the Kings that were come, were by them selues in the fielde.

When Ioab saw that the front of the battel was against him before and behinde, then he chose out of all the choyse of Israel, and set him selfe in aray to meete the Aramites.

And the rest of the people he deliuered vnto the hande of Abishai his brother, and they put them selues in aray against the children of Ammon.

And he saide, If Aram be too strong for me, then thou shalt succour me: and if the children of Ammon preuaile against thee, then I wil succour thee.

Be strong, and let vs shewe our selues valiant for our people, and for the cities of our God, and let the Lord doe that which is good in his owne sight.

So Ioab and the people that was with him, came neere before the Aramites vnto the battel, and they fled before him.

And when the children of Ammon sawe that the Aramites fled, they fled also before Abishai his brother, and entred into the citie: so Ioab came to Ierusalem.

And when the Aramites sawe that they were discomfited before Israel, they sent messengers and caused the Aramites to come forth that were beyond the riuer: and Shophach the captaine of the hoste of Hadarezer went before them.

And when it was shewed Dauid, he gathered all Israel, and went ouer Iorden, and came vnto them, and put him selfe in aray against them: And when Dauid had put him selfe in battel aray to meete the Aramites, they fought with him.

But the Aramites fled before Israel, and Dauid destroyed of the Aramites seuen thousand charets, and fourtie thousand footemen, and killed Shophach the captaine of the hoste.

And when the seruants of Hadarezer sawe that they fell before Israel, they made peace with Dauid, and serued him. And the Aramites would no more succour the children of Ammon.

And when the yere was expired, in the time that Kings goe out a warfare, Ioab caryed out the strength of the armie, and destroyed the countrey of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah (but Dauid taryed at Ierusalem) and Ioab smote Rabbah and destroyed it.

Then Dauid tooke the crowne of their King from off his head, and founde it the weight of a talent of golde, with precious stones in it: and it was set on Dauids head, and he brought away the spoyle of the citie exceeding much.

And he caryed away the people that were in it, and cut them with sawes, and with harowes of yron, and with axes: euen thus did Dauid with all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then Dauid and all the people came againe to Ierusalem.

And after this also there arose warre at Gezer with the Philistims: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slewe Sippai, of the children of Haraphah, and they were subdued.

And there was yet another battell with the Philistims: and Elhanan the sonne of Iair slewe Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spearestaffe was like a weauers beame.

And yet againe there was a battel at Gath, where was a man of a great stature, and his fingers were by sixes, euen foure and twentie, and was also the sonne of Haraphah.

And when he reuiled Israel, Iehonathan the sonne of Shimea Dauids brother did slay him.

These were borne vnto Haraphah at Gath, and fell by the hand of Dauid: and by the hands of his seruants.

And Satan stoode vp against Israel, and prouoked Dauid to nomber Israel.

Therefore Dauid said to Ioab, and to the rulers of the people, Go, and nomber Israel from Beer-sheba euen to Dan, and bring it to me, that I may knowe the nomber of them.

And Ioab answered, The Lord increase his people an hundreth times so many as they be, O my lord the King: are they not all my lords seruats? wherefore doeth my lord require this thing? why should he be a cause of trespasse to Israel?

Neuerthelesse the Kings word preuailed against Ioab. And Ioab departed and went thorowe all Israel, and returned to Ierusalem.

And Ioab gaue the nomber and summe of the people vnto Dauid: and all Israel were eleuen hundreth thousande men that drewe sword: and Iudah was foure hundreth and seuentie thousande men that drewe sword.