The end of the war with Ammon

(2 Samuel 11.1; 12.26-31)

1The next spring, the time when kings go to war, Joab marched out in command of the Israelite army and destroyed towns all over the country of Ammon. He attacked the capital city of Rabbah and left it in ruins. But David stayed in Jerusalem.20.1: 2 S 11.1.

2Later, David himself went to Rabbah, where he took the crown from the statue of their god Milcom.20.2 the statue of their god Milcom: Or “their king”. The crown was made of about thirty-four kilogrammes of gold, and there was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his crown,20.2 David put the jewel on his crown: Or “David put the crown on his head.” then carried off everything else of value. 3He forced the people of Rabbah to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. He also did the same thing with the people in all the other Ammonite towns.

David then led Israel's army back to Jerusalem.

The descendants of the Rephaim

(2 Samuel 21.15-22)

4Some time later, Israel fought a battle against the Philistines at Gezer. During this battle, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Sippai, a descendant of the Rephaim,20.4 Rephaim: This may refer to a group of people that lived in Palestine before the Israelites and who were famous for their large size. and the Philistines were defeated.

5In another battle against the Philistines, Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath from Gath, whose spear shaft was like a weaver's beam.20.5 weaver's beam: When a weaver made cloth, one set of threads was tied on to a large wooden rod that was known as a weaver's beam.20.5: 1 S 17.4-7.

6Another one of the Philistine soldiers who was a descendant of the Rephaim was as big as a giant and had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. During a battle at Gath, 7he made fun of Israel, so David's nephew Jonathan20.7 David's nephew Jonathan: Hebrew “Jonathan son of Shimea, David's brother”. killed him.

8David and his soldiers killed these three men from Gath who were descendants of the Rephaim.