1 Chronicles 20:1

1 Chronicles 20:1

Rabbah Is Conquered

1 It^a happened 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 ^bDavid stayed at Jerusalem. And ^cJoab defeated Rabbah and overthrew it.

2 Then David ^atook 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 the¹ spoil of the city in great abundance.

3 And he brought out the people who were in it, and¹ 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

4 Now it happened afterward ^athat war broke out at Gezer with the Philistines, at which time ^bSibbechai the Hushathite killed Sippai, who was one of the sons of the giant. And they were subdued.

5 Again there was war with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s ^abeam.

Commentaries:

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

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RABBAH BESIEGED BY JOAB, SPOILED BY DAVID, AND THE PEOPLE TORTURED. (I Chronicles 20:1-3)

at the time when kings go out to battle—in spring, the usual season in ancient times for entering on a campaign; that is, a year subsequent to the Syrian war.

Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country . . . of Ammon—The former campaign had been disastrous, owing chiefly to the hired auxiliaries of the Ammonites; and as it was necessary, as well as just, that they should be severely chastised for their wanton outrage on the Hebrew ambassadors, Joab ravaged their country and invested their capital, Rabbah. After a protracted siege, Joab took one part of it, the lower town or "city of waters," insulated by the winding course of the Jabbok. Knowing that the fort called "the royal city" would soon fall, he invited the king to come in person, and have the honor of storming it. The knowledge of this fact (mentioned in II Samuel 12:26) enables us to reconcile the two statements—"David tarried at Jerusalem" (I Chronicles 20:1), and "David and all the people returned to Jerusalem" (I Chronicles 20:3).

**Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 1 Chronicles 20:1:**

1 Chronicles 20:1
1 Chronicles 20:1

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