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

At the turn of the year, the season when kings go out to war, Joab led out the army and devastated the land of the Ammonites. He went and besieged Rabbah, while David remained in Jerusalem. Joab smote Rabbah and left it in ruins. 2David took the crown from the head of their king—its weight was found to be a talent of gold and it was set with precious stones—and it was placed on David’s head. He took a vast amount of spoils from the city. 3Furthermore, he removed the people who were in it and set them to work with saws, sharp iron tools and axes. Thus he did to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the people 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, that afterעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
• the yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• was expiredתְּשׁוּבָהteshûbâh teshûbâh · turnH8666
• that kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• go outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
• led forthנָהַגnâhag · to leadH5090
• the powerחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• of the armyצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · army: warH6635
• and wastedשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• the countryאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Ammonעַמּוֹן‛ammôn · AmmonH5983
• and cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• and besiegedצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
• Rabbahרַבָּהrabbâh · RabbahH7237
• But Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• tarriedיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• at Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• and destroyedהָרַסhâras · to overthrowH2040

Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 20:1

• 2 Samuel 11:1Now it came to pass at the turn of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his officials with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem.
• 1 Kings 20:22The prophet then approached the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself. Consider carefully what you should do, for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will march up against you.”
• 2 Kings 13:20Then Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabite marauders used to invade the land at the spring of the year.
• Isaiah 6:11Then I said, “Adonai, how long?” He answered, “Until cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, houses are without people, and the land is utterly desolate.
• Isaiah 54:16Behold, I created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its work, and I created the destroyer to ruin.
• Deuteronomy 3:11(For only King Og of the Bashan survived from the remnant of the Rephaim. In fact, his bed was made of iron—is it not in Rabbah of the Ammonites? Nine cubits was its length and four cubits its width, according to the cubit of a man.)
• Amos 1:14I will kindle fire on Rabbah’s wall and it will devour its citadels, amid shouting on a day of battle, with storm on a day of whirlwind.
• 2 Samuel 11:16So it came to pass, when Joab was besieging the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.
• 2 Samuel 12:26Now Joab attacked Rabbah of the children of Ammon and captured the royal city.

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
• Samuel, Books of
• Chronicles, Books of
• Genealogy
• Giants
• Port; Porter

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