Add parallel Print Page Options

War with Philistine Giants

20 (A)Now it happened [a]in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the force of the military and brought the land of the sons of Ammon to ruin, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. And (B)Joab struck Rabbah and [b]tore it down. (C)Then David took the crown of [c]their king from his head; and he found it to weigh a [d]talent 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 in a very great amount. He also brought out the people who were in it (D)and [e]made them work with saws and with sharp iron instruments and with axes. And thus David used to do to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 20:1 Lit at the time of the return of the year
  2. 1 Chronicles 20:1 Lit pulled
  3. 1 Chronicles 20:2 In Zeph 1:5, Malcam
  4. 1 Chronicles 20:2 A talent was approx. 75 lb. or 34 kg
  5. 1 Chronicles 20:3 Or made them cut with saws, cut them with saws; Heb vowels can indicate causative or simple active

The Capture of Rabbah(A)

20 Later the next spring, at the time that kings go out to fight, Joab led out the army, ravaged the territory of the Ammonites, and then went out and attacked Rabbah, while David remained behind in Jerusalem. Joab besieged Rabbah and conquered it. David confiscated the crown of their king[a] from his head, and found that its weight was a talent[b] in gold. A precious stone had been set in it, and it was placed on David’s head. He also confiscated a great amount of war booty that had been plundered from the city, brought back the people who had lived in it, and put them to conscripted labor with saws, iron picks, and axes. David did this to every Ammonite city, and then David and his entire army[c] returned to Jerusalem.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 20:2 Lit. of Malcam; LXX reads king Molchol. Cf. 1King 11:5, 33; Zeph 1:5
  2. 1 Chronicles 20:2 I.e. about 75 pounds; a talent weighed about 75 pounds
  3. 1 Chronicles 20:3 Lit. people