But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard {it}, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What {is} this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. {pledges: or, hostages}

And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me. {follow...: Heb. are at my feet}

When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard {of it}, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and {that} there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.

Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! {shamelessly: or, openly}

And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.

Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, {doing} according to their abominations, {even} of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; {they...: Heb. there was read} {audience: Heb. ears}

Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered {morter}, and will say unto you, The wall {is} no {more}, neither they that daubed it;

For thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast clapped {thine} hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel; {hands: Heb. hand} {feet: Heb. foot} {heart: Heb. soul}

{In} the day that thy walls are to be built, {in} that day shall the decree be far removed.

An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever: