1 Chronicles 20:1

1 Chronicles 20:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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.
• New International Version (NIV)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 and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins.
• English Standard Version (ESV)In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army and ravaged the country of the Ammonites and came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. And Joab struck down Rabbah and overthrew it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)It happened in the spring of the year, at the time kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the armed forces and ravaged the country of the people of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. And Joab defeated Rabbah and overthrew it.

Context of 1 Chronicles 20:1

In the spring, 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. It was found to weigh a talent of gold 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 work 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.

1 Chronicles 20:1 word by word

וַיְהִ֡י לְעֵת֩ תְּשׁוּבַ֨ת הַשָּׁנָ֜ה לְעֵ֣ת׀ צֵ֣את הַמְּלָכִ֗ים וַיִּנְהַ֣ג יוֹאָב֩ אֶת־חֵ֨יל הַצָּבָ֜א וַיַּשְׁחֵ֣ת׀ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֗וֹן וַיָּבֹא֙ וַיָּ֣צַר אֶת־רַבָּ֔ה וְדָוִ֖יד יֹשֵׁ֣ב בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיַּ֥ךְ יוֹאָ֛ב אֶת־רַבָּ֖ה וַיֶּֽהֶרְסֶֽהָ׃Read the interlinear

• ·הָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• Inעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• the springתְּשׁוּבָהteshûbâh teshûbâh · turnH8666
• the springשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• march out to warיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• led outנָהַגnâhag · to leadH5090
• the armyחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• the armyצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · army: warH6635
• and ravagedשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of the Ammonitesבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of the Ammonitesעַמּוֹן‛ammôn · AmmonH5983
• He cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to Rabbahרַבָּהrabbâh · RabbahH7237
• and besieged itצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
• but Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• remainedיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• in Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• attackedנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• and demolished itהָרַסhâras · to overthrowH2040

Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 20:1

• 2 Samuel 11:1In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war, David sent out Joab and his servants with the whole army of Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.
• 1 Kings 20:22Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”
• 2 Kings 13:20And Elisha died and was buried. Now the Moabite raiders used to come into the land every spring.
• Isaiah 6:11Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged,
• Isaiah 54:16Behold, I have created the craftsman who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its task; and I have created the destroyer to wreak havoc.
• Deuteronomy 3:11(For only Og king of Bashan had remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. His bed of iron, nine cubits long and four cubits wide, is still in Rabbah of the Ammonites.)
• Amos 1:14So I will kindle a fire in the walls of Rabbah to consume its citadels amid war cries on the day of battle and a violent wind on the day of tempest.
• 2 Samuel 11:16So as Joab besieged the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew the strongest enemy soldiers were.
• 2 Samuel 12:26Meanwhile, Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress.

Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 20:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1After the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle - About the spring of the year; see the note on 2 Samuel 11:1. After this verse the parallel place in Samuel relates the whole story of David and Bath-sheba, and the murder of Uriah, which the compiler of these books passes over as he designedly does almost every thing prejudicial to the character of David. All he states is, but David tarried at Jerusalem; and, while he thus tarried, and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1This chapter, containing such other warlike exploits belonging to David‘s reign as the writer of Chronicles thinks it important to put on record, is to be compared with the passages of Samuel noted in the marginal references.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1David's wars. --Though the Lord will severely correct the sins of his believing people, he will not leave them in the hands of their enemies. His assistance will overcome all advantages of number and strength of those that defy his Israel. All that trust in Christ, shall be made more than conquerors through him that loveth them.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3This war against the Ammonites happened during David's sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:2–12:25), which the Chronicler does not mention.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-31Ch 20:1-3. Rabbah Besieged by Joab, Spoiled by David, and the People Tortured. 1. at the time when kings go out to battle--in spring, the usual season in ancient times for entering on a campaign; that is, a year subsequent to the Syrian war. Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country ... of Ammon--The former campaign had been disastrous, owing chiefly to the hired auxiliaries of the Ammonites; and as it was necessary, as well as just…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Chronicles 20:1

• Ammonites
• Armies
• Joab
• Rabbah

In the dictionaries

• Ammon
• David
• Jerusalem
• Joab
• Rabbah
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Ammon, Ammonite
• Samuel, Books of
• Chronicles, Books of
• Genealogy

Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary