1 And it came to pass after this that the king of the sons of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
2 Then David said, I will show mercy unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed mercy unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his slaves for his father. And David’s slaves came into the land of the sons of Ammon.
3 And the princes of the sons of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Does it appear unto thee that David has sent comforters unto thee to honour thy father? Has not David rather sent his slaves unto thee to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?
4 Therefore, Hanun took David’s slaves and shaved off the one half of their beards and cut off their garments in the middle even to their buttocks and sent them away.
5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them because the men were greatly ashamed, and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards are grown and then return.
6 And when the sons of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.