The Capture of Rabbah(A)

20 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah(B) and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins.(C) David took the crown from the head of their king[a]—its weight was found to be a talent[b] of gold, and it was set with precious stones—and it was placed on David’s head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes.(D) David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

War With the Philistines(E)

In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer.(F) At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites,(G) and the Philistines were subjugated.

In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.(H)

In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

These were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 20:2 Or of Milkom, that is, Molek
  2. 1 Chronicles 20:2 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms

20 And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it.

And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city.

And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.

And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam.

And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot and he also was the son of the giant.

But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother slew him.

These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Rabbah Is Conquered(A)

20 It(B) happened [a]in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the armed forces and ravaged the country of the people of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But (C)David stayed at Jerusalem. And (D)Joab defeated Rabbah and overthrew it. Then David (E)took their king’s crown from his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it. And it was set on David’s head. Also he brought out the [b]spoil of the city in great abundance. And he brought out the people who were in it, and [c]put them to work with saws, with iron picks, and with axes. So David did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Philistine Giants Destroyed(F)

Now it happened afterward (G)that war broke out at [d]Gezer with the Philistines, at which time (H)Sibbechai the Hushathite killed [e]Sippai, who was one of the sons of [f]the giant. And they were subdued.

Again there was war with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of [g]Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s (I)beam.

Yet again (J)there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, with twenty-four fingers and toes, six on each hand and six on each foot; and he also was born to [h]the giant. So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of [i]Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

These were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 20:1 Lit. at the return of the year
  2. 1 Chronicles 20:2 plunder
  3. 1 Chronicles 20:3 LXX cut them with
  4. 1 Chronicles 20:4 Gob, 2 Sam. 21:18
  5. 1 Chronicles 20:4 Saph, 2 Sam. 21:18
  6. 1 Chronicles 20:4 Or Raphah
  7. 1 Chronicles 20:5 Jaare-Oregim, 2 Sam. 21:19
  8. 1 Chronicles 20:6 Or Raphah
  9. 1 Chronicles 20:7 Shammah, 1 Sam. 16:9 or Shimeah, 2 Sam. 21:21