20 In the spring, at the time when kings normally conduct wars,^[a] Joab led the army into battle and devastated the land of the Ammonites. He went and besieged Rabbah, while David stayed in Jerusalem. Joab defeated Rabbah and tore it down. ² David took the crown from the head of their king^[b] and wore it^[c] (its weight was a talent^[d] of gold and it was set with precious stones). He took a large amount of plunder from the city. ³ He removed the city’s residents and made them labor with saws, iron picks, and axes.^[e] This was his policy^[f] with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

Battles with the Philistines

⁴ Later there was a battle^[g] with the Philistines in Gezer.^[h] At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai,^[i] one of the descendants of the Rephaim, and the Philistines^[j] were subdued.

⁵ There was another battle with the Philistines in which Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite,^[k] whose spear had a shaft as big as the crossbeam of a weaver’s loom.^[l]

⁶ In a battle in Gath^[m] there was a large man who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all! He too was a descendant of Rapha. ⁷ When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea,^[n] David’s brother, killed him.

⁸ These were the descendants of Rapha who lived in Gath; they were killed^[o] by the hand of David and his soldiers.^[p]