Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
- KJV And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
- BSB Meanwhile, Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress.
- NKJV Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city.
- NASB Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and captured the royal city.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Joab fights against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captures the royal city. The narrative returns to the war that formed the backdrop of David's earlier sin.
Overview
This resumes the Ammonite campaign during which David had remained in Jerusalem and fallen into sin with Bathsheba. Joab's success at the royal (or fortified) city sets up his deference to David for the final victory. The account reminds readers that God's purposes for Israel continued even amid David's personal failure.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- 1 Chr 20:1–3At the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, Joab led out the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Joab struck Rabbah, and overthrew it.
- Deut 3:11(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, after the cubit of a man.)
- 2 Sam 11:25Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 12:26 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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