1 Now in the course of time Nachash king of the Ammonites died and his son became king in his place.
2 David said: “l will show lovingkindness to Hanun son of Nahash, because his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. But when David’s emissaries came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to console him,
3 the Ammonite officials said to Hanun, “Do you really think that David is honoring your father, by sending messengers to express sympathy? Have not his servants come to you to explore and spy out the country to overthrow it?”
4 So Hanun took David’s emissaries and shaved them. He cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks and sent them away.
5 When some people came and told David about the men, he sent messengers to meet them for the men were throughly humiliated. The king said: “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow and then return.”
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.