8 The ⌊Ammonites⌋g came out and ⌊drew up a battle formation⌋h at the entrance of the gate, but Aram-Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were alone in the open field. 9 When Joab saw that ⌊the battle was to be fought on two fronts⌋,i he chose from all the members of the elite troops of Israel and ⌊lined them up for battle⌋j to meet Aram. 10 The rest of the army he placed into the hand of his brother Abishai, who ⌊arranged them in battle lines⌋k to meet the ⌊Ammonites⌋.l 11 Then he said, “If Aram is stronger than I am, you must become my deliverer; but if the ⌊Ammonites⌋m are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. 12 Be strong, and let us strengthen ourselves for the sake of the people and for the sake of the cities of our God. May Yahweh do what is good in his eyes. 13 Joab and all the people who were with him moved forward into the battle against Aram, and they fled from before him. 14 When the ⌊Ammonites⌋n saw that Aram had fled, they fled from before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the ⌊Ammonites⌋o and came to Jerusalem.

The Arameans Regroup for Attack

15 When the Arameans saw that they were defeated before Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 Then Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates, and they came to Helam. Now Shobach, the commander of the army of Hadadezer, ⌊was at their head⌋.p 17 David was told, so he gathered all Israel and crossed over the Jordan and came to Helam. Aram ⌊arranged themselves in battle lines⌋q to meet David, and they fought with him.