Joab’s battle speech in 2 Samuel 10 is one of Scripture’s most striking acts of military faith - a commander caught between two armies who chose courage and left the outcome entirely to God.
Full sung version coming soon.
Lyrics
After this, the king of the children of Ammon died And Hanun his son reigned in his place
David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash As his father showed kindness to me So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father
But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord Do you think that David honors your father In that he has sent comforters to you
Hasn’t David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it
So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off one half of their beards And cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks And sent them away
When they told David this, he sent to meet them for the men were greatly ashamed The king said, Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return
When the children of Ammon saw that they had become odious to David The children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah Twenty thousand footmen and the king of Maacah with one thousand men
When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men The children of Ammon came out and put the battle in array at the entrance of the gate The Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob were by themselves in the field
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 Syrians The rest of the people he committed into the hand of Abishai his brother That he might put them in array against the children of Ammon
He said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me But if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you Be courageous and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God And may the LORD do what seems good to him
Listen
2 Samuel 10 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.
Published 2026-05-22 · Last updated 2026-06-06
Written by Reid Wender, Editorial Director at Psalmody Press