6. When the children of Ammon realized they had made themselves a stench to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram-naharaim , Aram-maacah and Zobah.
7. So they hired 32,000 chariots along with the king of Maacah and his people, who came and camped before Medeba. The children of Ammon also assembled from their cities and moved out to the battle.
8. On hearing this, David sent Joab and the entire army of mighty men.
9. The children of Ammon came out and took up battle formation at the city gate, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.
10. When Joab saw that there was a battle line against him both in front and rear, he selected some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans.
11. He put the rest of the people under the command of his brother Abishai, and arrayed them against the Ammonites.
12. He said: “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you will help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you.
13. Chazak! Take courage for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! Adonai will do what is good in His eyes.”
14. So Joab and the people who were with him advanced to battle against the Arameans, and they fled before him.
15. When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they likewise fled before his brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. Then Joab went to Jerusalem.
16. After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had the Arameans brought from across the River with Shophah the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.
17. When David was informed he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan. He came against them and took up positions against them. David took up positions against the Arameans in battle and they fought with him.