Common English Bible CEB
The Message Bible MSG
1 In the spring, the time when kings go to war, Joab marched out with the army, destroyed the land of the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. David stayed in Jerusalem while Joab attacked Rabbah and overthrew it.
1
That spring, the time when kings usually go off to war, Joab led the army out and ravaged the Ammonites. He then set siege to Rabbah. David meanwhile was back in Jerusalem. Joab hit Rabbah hard and left it in ruins.
2 David took Milcom's crown from his head. He found that it weighed one kikkar of gold and was set with a valuable stone. It was placed on David's head. The amount of loot David took from the city was huge.
2
David took the crown off the head of their king. Its weight was found to be a talent of gold and set with a precious stone. It was placed on David's head. He hauled great quantities of loot from the city
3 After removing the people who were in the city, David demolished the city with saws, iron picks, and axes, as he did to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.
3
and put the people to hard labor with saws and picks and axes. This is what he did to all the Ammonites. Then David and his army returned to Jerusalem.
4 Once again war broke out at Gezer with the Philistines. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephah, and the Philistines were subdued.
4
Later war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. That was the time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai of the clan of giants. The Philistines had to eat crow.
5 In another war with the Philistines, Jair's son Elhanan killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam.
5
In another war with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite whose spear was like a ship's boom.
6 At another war in Gath there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also descended from Raphah.
6
And then there was the war at Gath that featured a hulking giant who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six on each hand and foot - yet another from the clan of giants.
7 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of David's brother Shimea killed him.
7
When he mocked Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him.
8 These were descended from the Raphah in Gath, and they fell by the hands of David and his servants.
8
These came from the clan of giants and were killed by David and his men.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.