And it came to pass at the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go forth, that Joab led forth the power of the army, and laid waste the land of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David abode at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and overthrew it.
And 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 forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.
And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with the saw, and with harrows of iron, and with saws. And so David did to all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbechai the Hushathite smote Sippai, one of the children of Rapha; and they were subdued.
And there was again a battle with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair smote Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite; now the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam.
And there was again a battle, at Gath; and there was a man there of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot; and he also was born to Rapha.
And he defied Israel; but Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother smote him.
These were born to Rapha in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
Canonical academic citations for 1 Chronicles 20 (DBT) — copy in your preferred format.
1 Chronicles 20 (DBT). Prime Bible, accessed July 23, 2026. https://primebible.com/dbt/1-chronicles/20.
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Joab destroys Ammon while David stays at Jerusalem; David takes their king's crown (talent of gold with precious stones); people put under saws, harrows, axes. Wars with Philistine giants: Sibbechai kills Sippai; Elhanan kills Lahmi brother of Goliath whose spear staff like weaver's beam. Jonathan (David's brother) kills man of great stature with 24 fingers and toes; these giants fall by hand of David and his servants.
Genealogies and reign of David retold for post-exilic community.
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