Discovery Box1 Chronicles 19:8-19 
Context19:8 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. 1 19:9 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field. 19:10 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. 2 19:11 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army and they were deployed against the Ammonites. 19:12 Joab 3 said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, 4 you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, 5 I will come to your rescue. 19:13 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!” 6 19:14 So Joab and his men 7 marched toward the Arameans to do battle, and they fled before him. 19:15 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before Joab’s 8 brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. Joab went back to Jerusalem. 9
19:16 When the Arameans realized they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for reinforcements from beyond the Euphrates River, 10 led by Shophach the commanding general of Hadadezer’s army. 11 19:17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, 12 and marched against them. 13 David deployed his army against the Arameans for battle and they fought against him. 14 19:18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 7,000 15 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 infantrymen; he also killed Shophach 16 the commanding general. 19:19 When Hadadezer’s subjects saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
1 tn The words “the news” and “to meet them” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
2 tc The parallel text of 2 Sam 10:10 has “the Ammonites” in place of “the Arameans” here.
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.”
3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”
5 tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”
6 tn Heb “and the
7 tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”
8 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
10 tn Heb “the River,” referring to the Euphrates. This has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 tn Heb “and Aram saw that they were struck down before Israel and they sent messengers and brought out Aram which is beyond the River, and Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer [was] before them.”
12 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
13 tc The parallel text of 2 Sam 10:17 “he came to Helam.”
tn Heb “and he came to them and was deployed against them.”
14 tn Heb “and David was deployed to meet Aram [for] battle and they fought with him.”
15 tc The parallel text of 2 Sam 10:18 has “seven hundred.”
16 tn The parallel text of 2 Sam 10:18 has the variant spelling “Shobach.”
