1 Chronicles 20

1And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it.footnote a

2And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David’s head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city.footnote b

3And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

4And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.footnote cfootnote dfootnote efootnote f

5And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver’s beam.footnote g

6And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant.footnote hfootnote i

7But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David’s brother slew him.footnote jfootnote k

8These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

The Capture of Rabbah

1In the spring,footnote a at the time when kings march out to war, Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the Ammonites. He came to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. And Joab attacked Rabbah and demolished it.

2Then David took the crown from the head of their king.footnote b It was found to weigh a talent of goldfootnote c and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city.

3David brought out the people who were there and put them to workfootnote d with saws, iron picks, and axes. And he did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.

Battles against the Philistines

4Some time later, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai,footnote e a descendant of the Rephaim,footnote f and the Philistines were subdued.

5Once again there was a battle with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brotherfootnote g of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

6And there was also a battle at Gath, where there was a man of great stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He too was descended from Rapha, 7and when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of David’s brother Shimei killed him.

8So these descendants of Rapha in Gath fell at the hands of David and his servants.