2 Samuel 12:26-31

Contemporary English Version

The End of the War with Ammon

(1 Chronicles 20.1b-3)

²⁶ Meanwhile, Joab had been in the country of Ammon, attacking the city of Rabbah. He captured the royal fortress ²⁷ and sent a messenger to tell David:

I have attacked Rabbah and captured the fortress guarding the city water supply. ²⁸ Call the rest of the army together. Then surround the city, and capture it yourself. If you don't, everyone will remember that I captured the city.

²⁹ David called the rest of the army together and attacked Rabbah. He captured the city ³⁰ and took the crown from the statue of their god Milcom.^[a] The crown was made of about 35 kilograms of gold, and there was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his own crown.^[b] He also carried off everything else of value. ³¹ David made the people of Rabbah tear down the city walls^[c] with iron picks and axes, and then he put them to work making bricks. He did the same thing with all the other Ammonite cities.

David went back to Jerusalem, and the people of Israel returned to their homes.