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
1 tn Heb “that they were a stench [i.e., disgusting] with David.”
2 tn Heb “the Ammonites.”
3 tn Or “Arameans of Beth Rehob and Arameans of Zobah.”
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.
5 tn The words “the news” and “to meet them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
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.”
7 tn Heb “people.”
8 tn Heb “he arranged.”
9 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”
11 tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”
12 tn Heb “and the
13 tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”
14 tn Heb “and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered.”
15 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.