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 Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah. {odious: Heb. to stink}

So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.

And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come {were} by themselves in the field.

Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put {them} in array against the Syrians. {the battle...: Heb. the face of the battle was} {choice: or, young men}