When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose some of the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:
The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts assembles the army for the battle.
Come up, you horses; and rage, you chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.
I have heard a rumor from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent to the heathen, saying, Gather together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle.
Because you were glad, because you rejoiced, O you destroyers of my heritage, because you have grown fat like the heifer eating grass, and bellow as bulls;
Call together the archers against Babylon: all you who bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she has done, do unto her: for she has been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.
They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not show mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in formation, like a man to the battle, against you, O daughter of Babylon.
All who found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We do not offend, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.
For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in formation against her; from there she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.
Set up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up like the rough caterpillers.
Against him that bends let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifts himself up in his coat of mail: and do not spare her young men; destroy utterly all her host.
For the violence of Lebanon shall cover you, and the destruction of beasts, which made them afraid, because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all who dwell in it.
Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the people shall plunder you; because of men’s blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all who dwell in it.
And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the protected area as the army was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.