Joab Destroys the Ammonites^(A)

20 In the ·spring [^Lturning of the year], the time of year when kings normally went out to ·battle [war], Joab led out the army of Israel. But David stayed in Jerusalem. The army of Israel ·destroyed [ravaged; laid waste] the land of Ammon and went to the city of Rabbah and ·attacked it [lay siege to it; tore it down]. ² David took the crown off the head of ·their king [or Milcom; ^Cthe god of the Ammonites], and had it placed on his own head. That gold crown weighed ·about seventy-five pounds [^Lone talent], and it ·had valuable gems in it [was set with precious stones]. And David took ·many valuable things [a great amount of plunder/spoil] from the city. ³ He also brought out the people of the city and forced them to work [^Censlaved them] with saws, iron picks, and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his army returned to Jerusalem.

David Sins with Bathsheba

11 In the spring, when the kings normally went out to war, David sent out Joab, his ·servants [officers; army], and all the Israelites. They ·destroyed [massacred; ravaged] the Ammonites and ·attacked [besieged] the city of Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem.

David Captures Rabbah^(A)

²⁶ Joab fought against Rabbah, a royal city of the Ammonites, and he was about to capture it. ²⁷ Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured ·its water supply [or the City of Waters]. ²⁸ Now bring the ·other soldiers [^Lrest of the army] together and attack this city. Capture it before I capture it myself and it is ·called by my name [named after me]!”

²⁹ So David gathered all the army and went to Rabbah and ·fought against [attacked] it and captured it. ³⁰ David took the crown ·off their king’s [or of Milcom from his] head [^CMilcom was their main god] and had it placed on his own head. That gold crown weighed ·about seventy-five pounds [^La talent], and ·it had valuable gems in it [was set with precious stones]. And David took ·many valuable things [great amounts of plunder/spoil] from the city. ³¹ He also brought out the people of the city and forced them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. He also ·made them build with bricks [sent them to the brick kilns]. David did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his army returned to Jerusalem.