6. When the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves hateful to David, Hanun and [his people] sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia and Aram-maacah and Zobah.
7. So they hired 32,000 chariots, and the king of Maacah and his troops, who came and pitched before Medeba. And the Ammonites gathered from their cities and came to battle.
8. When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of mighty men.
9. And the Ammonites came out and lined up in battle array before the entrance of the city [Medeba], and the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.
10. When Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose from all the choice men of Israel and put them in array against the Syrians.
11. The rest of the soldiers he delivered to Abishai his brother, and they were arrayed against the Ammonites.
12. And he said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will help you.
13. Be of good courage and let us behave ourselves courageously for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight.
14. So Joab and the people who were with him drew near before the Syrians for battle, and they fled before him.