The Ammonites Crushed

²⁶ Now Jo′ab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and took the royal city. ²⁷ And Jo′ab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. ²⁸ Now, then, gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called by my name.” ²⁹ So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it. ³⁰ And he took the crown of their king^[a] from his head; the weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city, a very great amount. ³¹ And he brought forth the people who were in it, and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them toil at^[b] the brickkilns; and thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.