1 Chronicles 20:1-3

The Capture of Rabbah

1 In the spring, ^[a] at the time when kings march out to war, Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the Ammonites. He came to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. And Joab attacked Rabbah and demolished it. ¹

2 Then David took the crown from the head of their king. ^[b] It was found to weigh a talent of gold ^[c] and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city.

3 David brought out the people who were there and put them to work ^[d] with saws, iron picks, and axes. And he did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 20:1-3 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 20

Agrees with various passages in the second book of Samuel; 1Ch 20:1 with 2Sa 11:1 and 1Ch 20:2,3 with 2Sa 12:30,31 and the rest, to the end of it, with 2Sa 21:15-22. What differences there are, are observed in the notes on those passages, which see. Also see 1Ch 21:1. 18886-950102-2025-1Ch20.2

Cross References

• 1. (2 Samuel 12:26–31)

Footnotes

• [a] Literally At the turn of the year
• [b] Or from the head of Milcom. Milcom, also called Molech, was god of the Ammonites; see Leviticus 18:21 and 1 Kings 11:7.
• [c] A talent is approximately 75.4 pounds or 34.2 kilograms of gold.
• [d] Or cut them