2 Samuel 12:27

27 Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply.

2 Samuel 12:27 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.
English Standard Version (ESV)
27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said, "I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters.
New Living Translation (NLT)
27 Joab sent messengers to tell David, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.
The Message Bible (MSG)
27 He sent messengers to David saying, "I'm fighting at Rabbah, and I've just captured the city's water supply.
American Standard Version (ASV)
27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah; yea, I have taken the city of waters.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
27 So he sent messengers to tell David, "I fought against Rabbah and captured the fortress guarding its water supply.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
27 Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, "I have fought against Rabbah and have also captured the water supply.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
27 He sent messengers to David. He told them to say, "I have fought against Rabbah. I've taken control of its water supply.

2 Samuel 12:27 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 12:27

And Joab sent messengers to David
To acquaint him how he had proceeded, and what success he had had:

and said, I have fought against Rabbah;
laid siege to it, and skirmished with parties that sallied out upon them:

and have taken the city of waters;
the same with the royal city, and so the Targum here renders it; so called because situated by the waterside; Adrichomius says F24 the river Jabbok flowed round about it: or it abounded with fountains of water, from whence the other part of the city, or what was properly the city Rabbah, was supplied with water; and which communication being cut off, it could not hold out long, which Joab being sensible of, therefore sent for David. Junius and Tremellius render the words, "I have intercepted the water from the city"; with which the account of Josephus F25 agrees, who says, that he cut off the water from them, and precluded other supplies, so that they were in great distress for want of food and drink; and in like manner it was taken by Antiochus some hundreds of years later; for that; historian says F26 the siege by him lasted long, and they could not prevail, because of the multitude of men it, until one of the prisoners showed them a subterraneous passage, through which they came and fetched water; which they stopped up with stones and such like things, and then through want of water yielded.


FOOTNOTES:

F24 Theatrum T. S. p. 34.
F25 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 7. sect. 5.
F26 Polyb. Hist. l. 5. p. 414.

2 Samuel 12:27 In-Context

25 and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.
26 Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah 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.
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