²⁶ Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah^(A) of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel. ²⁷ Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply. ²⁸ Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me.”

²² Afterward, the prophet^(A) came to the king of Israel and said, “Strengthen your position and see what must be done, because next spring^(B) the king of Aram will attack you again.”

²⁶ The next spring^(A) Ben-Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek^(B) to fight against Israel.

The Capture of Rabbah^(A)

20 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah^(B) and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins.^(C)