26 Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah(A) of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel. 27 Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply. 28 Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me.”

29 So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it. 30 David took the crown(B) from their king’s[a] head, and it was placed on his own head. It weighed a talent[b] of gold, and it was set with precious stones. David took a great quantity of plunder from the city 31 and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes, and he made them work at brickmaking.[c] David did this to all the Ammonite(C) towns. Then he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 12:30 Or from Milkom’s (that is, Molek’s)
  2. 2 Samuel 12:30 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
  3. 2 Samuel 12:31 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.

Defeat of the Ammonites

26 Meanwhile, Joab fought the Ammonites at Rabbah and captured the royal city. 27 Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured the city’s water supply.[a] 28 So gather the rest of the troops, attack the city, and capture it. Otherwise, I will capture the city myself, and it will be named after me.”

29 So David gathered all the troops, marched to Rabbah, fought against it, and captured it. 30 David took Milcom’s[b] crown off his head. It weighed one kikkar of gold and was set with a valuable stone. It was placed on David’s head. The amount of loot David took from the city was huge. 31 He brought out the people who were in the city and put them to work making bricks. David demolished the city with saws, iron picks, and axes;[c] he did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 12:27 Heb uncertain
  2. 2 Samuel 12:30 LXX; MT their king’s crown
  3. 2 Samuel 12:31 Cf LXXL, OL, Tg, 1 Chron 20:3