Rabbah Falls and David Wears the Crown
Joab does the fighting at Rabbah while David stays home, though here the king arrives to take the crown. Then three skirmishes with Philistine giants, including a six-fingered man who taunted Israel and was cut down by David's nephew.
20 1At the turn of the year, when kings march to war, Joab led the army out and devastated the Ammonites' land, then came and besieged Rabbah, while David stayed in Jerusalem. Joab struck Rabbah and tore it down. 2David took the crown from the head of their king. It weighed about seventy-five pounds of gold and was set with a precious stone, and it was placed on David's head. He also carried off a great amount of plunder from the city. 3He brought out its people and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. David did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and his whole army returned to Jerusalem.
The Giants Fall at Israel's Hand
4After this, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of Rapha's descendants, and the Philistines were subdued.
5War broke out again with the Philistines. Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was as thick as a heavy wooden beam. 6Once more war broke out at Gath, where there was a huge man, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all—also born to Rapha. 7When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David's brother, struck him down. 8These were born to Rapha in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and his servants.
