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David Takes Bathsheba(A)

11 In the spring, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, his mercenaries, and Israel’s army ⌞to war⌟. They destroyed the Ammonites and attacked Rabbah, while David stayed in Jerusalem.

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David and Bathsheba

11 In the spring,(A) at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab(B) out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army.(C) They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.(D) But David remained in Jerusalem.

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David Defeats the Ammonites(A)

26 Meanwhile, Joab fought against the Ammonite city of Rabbah and captured its royal fortress. 27 So he sent messengers to tell David, “I fought against Rabbah and captured the fortress guarding its water supply. 28 Gather the rest of the troops, surround the city, and capture it. Otherwise, I will capture the city, and it will be named after me.”

29 So David gathered all the troops and went to Rabbah. He fought against the city and captured it. 30 He took the gold crown from the head of Rabbah’s king and put it on his own head. (The crown weighed 75 pounds and contained a precious stone.) David also took a lot of goods from the city. 31 He brought out the troops who were there and put them to work with saws, hoes, and axes. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem.

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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.

The Giants of the Philistines Defeated(A)

15 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. So David and his men went to fight the Philistines, but David became exhausted. 16 A descendant of Haraphah named Benob, who had a bronze spear weighing 7½ pounds which he wore on a new belt, captured David and intended to kill him. 17 But Abishai, son of Zeruiah, came to help David. He attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men swore an oath, saying, “You’ll never go into battle with us again. The lamp of Israel must never be extinguished.”

18 After this, there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, another descendant of Haraphah. 19 When more fighting broke out with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan, son of Jaare Oregim from Bethlehem, killed Goliath of Gath. (The shaft of Goliath’s spear was like a beam used by weavers.) 20 In another battle at Gath, there was a tall man who had a total of 24 fingers and toes: six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. He also was a descendant of Haraphah. 21 When he challenged Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimei, killed him. 22 These four were descendants of Haraphah from Gath, and David and his men killed them.

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Wars Against the Philistines(A)

15 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines(B) and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. 16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels[a] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. 17 But Abishai(C) son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp(D) of Israel will not be extinguished.(E)

18 In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai(F) the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

19 In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair[b] the Bethlehemite killed the brother of[c] Goliath the Gittite,(G) who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.(H)

20 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. 21 When he taunted(I) Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah,(J) David’s brother, killed him.

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

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 21:16 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
  2. 2 Samuel 21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew Jaare-Oregim.
  3. 2 Samuel 21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew does not have the brother of.