Capture of the City of Rabbah

20 In the spring[a] when kings march out to war,(A) Joab led the army and destroyed the Ammonites’ land. He came to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem.(B) Joab attacked Rabbah and demolished it. Then David took the crown from the head of their king,[b][c](C) and it was placed on David’s head. He found that the crown weighed 75 pounds[d] of gold, and there was a precious stone in it. In addition, David took away a large quantity of plunder from the city. He brought out the people who were in it and put them to work with saws,[e] iron picks, and axes.[f](D) David did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then he and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.

The Philistine Giants

After this,(E) a war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, a descendant of the giants,[g] and the Philistines were subdued.

Once again there was a battle with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.(F)

There was still another battle at Gath where there was a man of extraordinary stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—24 in all. He, too, was descended from the giant.[h] When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of David’s brother Shimei killed him.

These were the descendants of the giant[i] in Gath killed by David and his soldiers.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 20:1 Lit At the time of the return of the year
  2. 1 Chronicles 20:2 LXX, Vg read of Milcom
  3. 1 Chronicles 20:2 = Molech; 1Kg 11:5,7
  4. 1 Chronicles 20:2 Lit a talent
  5. 1 Chronicles 20:3 Text emended; MT reads and sawed them with the saw; 2Sm 12:31
  6. 1 Chronicles 20:3 Text emended; MT reads saws; 2Sm 12:31
  7. 1 Chronicles 20:4 Or the Rephaites
  8. 1 Chronicles 20:6 Or Raphah
  9. 1 Chronicles 20:8 Or Raphah

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