The kingdom

David Captures Rabbah

Joab fights against Rabbah in Ammon and captures the water city, but asks David to gather the rest of the army to complete the conquest so that the honor does not fall to Joab. David captures the city, takes the king's gold crown which is placed on his own head, brings out great spoils, sets the people to hard labor, and then returns to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 12,26-31

26Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city.
וַיִּלָּ֣חֶם יוֹאָ֔ב בְּרַבַּ֖ת בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֑וֹן וַיִּלְכֹּ֖ד אֶת־עִ֥יר הַמְּלוּכָֽה׃ ‬
27Then Joab sent messengers to David and said, "I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח יוֹאָ֛ב מַלְאָכִ֖ים אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ נִלְחַ֣מְתִּי בְרַבָּ֔ה גַּם־לָכַ֖דְתִּי אֶת־עִ֥יר הַמָּֽיִם׃ ‬
28Now gather the rest of the troops, lay siege to the city, and take it—otherwise I will take the city myself, and it will be named after me."
וְעַתָּ֗ה אֱסֹף֙ אֶת־יֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם וַחֲנֵ֥ה עַל־הָעִ֖יר וְלָכְדָ֑הּ פֶּן־אֶלְכֹּ֤ד אֲנִי֙ אֶת־הָעִ֔יר וְנִקְרָ֥א שְׁמִ֖י עָלֶֽיהָ׃ ‬
29So David gathered all the troops, went to Rabbah, attacked it, and captured it.
וַיֶּאֱסֹ֥ף דָּוִ֛ד אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ רַבָּ֑תָה וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם בָּ֖הּ וַֽיִּלְכְּדָֽהּ׃ ‬
30He took the crown from the head of their king. It weighed a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David's head. He also brought out great quantities of plunder from the city.
וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֶת־עֲטֶֽרֶת־מַלְכָּם֩ מֵעַ֨ל רֹאשׁ֜וֹ וּמִשְׁקָלָ֨הּ כִּכַּ֤ר זָהָב֙ וְאֶ֣בֶן יְקָרָ֔ה וַתְּהִ֖י עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ דָּוִ֑ד וּשְׁלַ֥ל הָעִ֛יר הוֹצִ֖יא הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃ ‬
31He brought out the people who were there and put them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and he set them to work at the brick kilns. He did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem.
וְאֶת־הָעָ֨ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֜הּ הוֹצִ֗יא וַיָּ֣שֶׂם בַּ֠מְּגֵרָה וּבַחֲרִצֵ֨י הַבַּרְזֶ֜ל וּֽבְמַגְזְרֹ֣ת הַבַּרְזֶ֗ל וְהֶעֱבִ֤יר אוֹתָם֙ *במלכן **בַּמַּלְבֵּ֔ן וְכֵ֣ן יַעֲשֶׂ֔ה לְכֹ֖ל עָרֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֑וֹן וַיָּ֧שָׁב דָּוִ֛ד וְכָל־הָעָ֖ם יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ פ ‬