4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, 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 be grown, and then return.
6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth–re´hob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Ma´acah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.
7 And when David heard of it, he sent Jo´ab, and all the host of the mighty men.
8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zobah, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Ma´acah, were by themselves in the field.
9 When Jo´ab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
10 and the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Ab´ishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.