שמואל ב, פרק י׳, פסוק ז׳

The provocations of the Ammonite king demand a swift and decisive military response. Not satisfied with merely humiliating the Israelite messengers, the king escalates the conflict by gathering an army for war, prompting an immediate counterattack [אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Despite the serious nature of the threat, David chooses to remain behind and assigns Joab to lead the forces into battle. This strategic choice is rooted in protecting the national image. By staying out of the direct conflict, David denies the Ammonite king the prestige and opportunity to boast about fighting face to face with the King of Israel [אברבנאל].

Under Joab's command, the Israelite forces launch a rapid offensive. Because the land of Ammon lacks strong defensive fortifications, the advancing troops successfully push all the way to the enemy's capital city [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The military force dispatched for this mission is formidable. The ranks are understood to be composed either entirely of elite, mighty warriors [רד״ק], or as a massive deployment that includes both the regular army and the elite combat units fighting side by side [מצודת ציון, רד״ק].