1 Chronicles 19

1 And it happened after this, that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon died, and his son Hanun reigned in his place.

Sur ces entrefaites, Nahach, le roi des Ammonites, mourut, et son fils lui succéda.

2 David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. David's servants came into the land of the people of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.

David se dit: "Je veux agir amicalement avec Hanoun, fils de Nahach, comme son père a agi à mon égard." Et David envoya des émissaires pour lui présenter des condoléances au sujet de son père, et les serviteurs de David se rendirent au pays des Ammonites pour porter des condoléances à Hanoun.

3 But the leaders of the people of Ammon said to Hanun, "Do you think that David honors your father, in that he has sent comforters to you? Haven't his servants come to you to search, to overthrow, and to spy out the land?"

Mais les princes ammonites dirent à Hanoun: "Est-ce, à ton avis, pour honorer ton père que David t’a envoyé des consolateurs? N’Est-ce pas plutôt pour explorer, troubler et espionner le pays que ses serviteurs sont venus te trouver?"

4 So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

Alors Hanoun fit saisir les serviteurs de David, ordonna de les raser et de couper la moitié de leurs vêtements jusqu’aux hanches, puis il les congédia.

5 Then there went certain persons, and told David how the men were served. He sent to meet them; for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, "Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return."

Ceux-ci partis, on mit David au courant de ce qui était arrivé à ces hommes, et il envoya au-devant d’eux car ces hommes étaient accablés de honte et leur fit dire: "Restez à Jéricho jusqu’à ce que votre barbe ait repoussé, puis vous reviendrez."

6 When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the people of Ammon sent one thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Aram Maacah, and out of Zobah.

Les Ammonites, voyant qu’ils s’étaient mis en mauvaise odeur auprès de David, envoyèrent, de concert avec Hanoun, mille kikkar d’argent pour soudoyer dans la Syrie du Double-Fleuve, dans la Syrie de Maakha et de Çoba des chars et des cavaliers.

7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, and the king of Maacah and his people, who came and camped before Medeba. The people of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.

Ils soudoyèrent ainsi trente-deux mille chars ainsi que le roi de Maakha et son peuple, qui vinrent camper devant Mèdeba; de leur côté, les Ammonites sortirent ensemble de leurs villes et entrèrent en campagne.

8 When David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men.

A cette nouvelle, David envoya Joab avec toute son armée de vaillants.

9 The people of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the gate of the city: and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.

Les Ammonites s’avancèrent et se mirent en bataille à l’entrée de la ville, tandis que les rois qui étaient accourus restaient séparés dans la campagne.

10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Arameans.

Joab, voyant que la bataille le menaçait par-devant et par-derrière, fit choix des meilleurs guerriers d’Israël et les disposa devant les Syriens.

11 The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother; and they put themselves in array against the people of Ammon.

Pour le reste de l’armée, il le mit sous les ordres de son frère Abchaï et le rangea devant les Ammonites.

12 He said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you.

Et il dit: "Si les Syriens l’emportent sur moi, tu viendras à mon secours; si les Ammonites l’emportent sur toi, c’est moi qui viendrai te secourir.

13 Be courageous, and let us be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do that which seems good to him."

Sois fort, soyons forts pour notre peuple et pour les villes de notre Dieu, et que le Seigneur agisse selon sa volonté!"

14 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near before the Arameans to the battle; and they fled before him.

Joab, avec la troupe qui l’accompagnait, engagea la bataille contre les Syriens, qui s’enfuirent devant lui.

15 When the people of Ammon saw that the Arameans had fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

Les Ammonites, voyant fuir les Syriens, lâchèrent pied devant son frère Abchaï et rentrèrent dans la ville; et Joab revint à Jérusalem.

16 When the Arameans saw that they were defeated by Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Arameans who were beyond the River, with Shobach the captain of the army of Hadadezer at their head.

Mais les Syriens, se voyant battus par les Israélites, envoyèrent des messagers et firent avancer les Syriens de delà le Fleuve, sous le commandement de Chopakh, chef de l’armée de Hadadézer.

17 It was told David; and he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came on them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Arameans, they fought with him.

Quand David en fut informé, il rassembla tout Israël, traversa le Jourdain, arriva à Hélam et aligna ses troupes en face d’eux. Il commença à combattre les Syriens, qui acceptèrent la bataille.

18 The Arameans fled before Israel; and David killed of the Arameans the men of seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shobach the captain of the army.

Aram prit la fuite devant Israël, et David lui tua sept mille attelages et quarante mille hommes de pied. Il fit périr aussi Chopakh, chef de l’armée.

19 When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David, and served him: neither would the Arameans help the people of Ammon any more.

Les serviteurs de Hadadézer, voyant qu’Israël les avait défaits, firent la paix avec David et devinrent ses tributaires; et les Syriens ne furent plus disposés à venir en aide aux Ammonites.