The Ammonites Crushed

²⁶ Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city.^(A)

Siege and Capture of Rabbah

20 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army, ravaged the country of the Ammonites, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and overthrew it.^{(A) 2} David took the crown of Milcom^[a] from his head; he found that it weighed a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David’s head. He also brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount.^{(B) 3} He brought out the people who were in it and set them to work^[b] with saws and iron picks and axes.^[c] Thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.^(C)

¹¹ (Now only King Og of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. In fact, his bed, an iron bed, can still be seen in Rabbah of the Ammonites. By the common cubit it is nine cubits long and four cubits wide.)^(A)

²⁵ David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter trouble you, for the sword devours now one and now another; press your attack on the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.”