6. And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.
7. So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. And the children of Ammon assembled from their cities, and came to battle.
8. And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.
9. And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that had come were by themselves in the field.
10. Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he selected all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.
11. And the rest of the people he delivered to the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.
12. And he said, If the Syrians shall be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon shall be too strong for thee, then I will help thee.