1 Capture of the City of Rabbah In the spring Lit At the time of the return of the year when kings march out to war, Joab led the army and destroyed the Ammonites’ land. He came to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and demolished it.2 Then David took the crown from the head of their king, LXX, Vg read of Milcom and it was placed on David’s head. He found that the crown weighed seventy-five pounds Lit a talent of gold, and there was a precious stone in it. In addition, David took away a large quantity of plunder from the city.3 He brought out the people who were in it and put them to work with saws, Text emended; MT reads and sawed them with the saw ; 2Sm 12:31 iron picks, and axes. Text emended; MT reads saws ; 2Sm 12:31 David did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then he and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.4 The Philistine Giants After this, a war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, a descendant of the Rephaim, Or the Rephaites and the Philistines were subdued.5 Once again there was a battle with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath of Gath. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.6 There was still another battle at Gath where there was a man of extraordinary stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot — twenty-four in all. He, too, was descended from the giant. Or Raphah, also in v. 8 7 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of David’s brother Shimei killed him.8 These were the descendants of the giant in Gath killed by David and his soldiers.