The Capture of Rabbah

20 (A)In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army and ravaged the country of the Ammonites and came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. And (B)Joab struck down Rabbah and overthrew it. (C)And David took the crown of their king from his head. He found that it weighed a talent[a] of gold, and in it was a precious stone. And it was placed on David's head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor[b] (D)with saws and iron picks and axes.[c] And thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

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Notas al pie

  1. 1 Chronicles 20:2 A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
  2. 1 Chronicles 20:3 Compare 2 Samuel 12:31; Hebrew he sawed
  3. 1 Chronicles 20:3 Compare 2 Samuel 12:31; Hebrew saws

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. 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. 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.

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Notas al pie

  1. 1 Chronicles 20:1 tn Heb “and it was at the time of the turning of the year, at the time of the going out of kings.”
  2. 1 Chronicles 20:2 tc The translation follows the MT, which reads “of their king”; the LXX and Vulgate read “of Milcom” (cf. 1 Kgs 11:5). Milcom, also known as Molech, was the god of the Ammonites.
  3. 1 Chronicles 20:2 tn Heb “and it was on the head of David.”
  4. 1 Chronicles 20:2 sn See the note on the word “talents” in 19:6.
  5. 1 Chronicles 20:3 tc The Hebrew text reads “saws,” but since saws were just mentioned, it is preferable to emend מְגֵרוֹת (megerot, “saws”) to מַגְזְרוֹת (magzerot, “axes”).
  6. 1 Chronicles 20:3 tn Heb “and so he would do.”