The Fall of Rabbah

1 Chronicles 20

This chapter describes the capture of Rabbah and the harsh treatment of its people, and recounts further battles with the Philistines in which David's men killed several descendants of the giants, including the brother of Goliath.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonAND at the return of the year when kings take the field, Joab led out all the strength of the army, and having laid waste all the country of the Ammonites, he went and besieged Rabba while David abode at Jerusalem. And when Joab had smitten Rabba and demolished it,

BrentonAnd it came to pass at the return of the year, at the time of the going forth of kings to war, that Joab gathered the whole force of the army, and they ravaged the land of the children of Ammon; and he came and besieged Rabba. But David abode in Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabba and destroyed it.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐπιόντι ἔτει ἐν τῇ ἐξόδῳ τῶν βασιλέων καὶ ἤγαγεν Ἰωὰβ πᾶσαν τὴν δὺναμιν τῆς στρατείας, καὶ ἔφθειραν τὴν χώραν υἱῶν Ἀμμών· καὶ ἦλθεν καὶ περιεκάθισεν τὴν Ῥάββαν. καὶ Δαυεὶδ ἐκάθητο ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ· καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὴν Ῥαββὰ καὶ κατέσκαψεν αὐτήν.

KJVAnd 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.

JPSAnd it came to pass, at the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that 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 overthrew it.

ThomsonDavid took the crown of Molchom their king from his head, and the weight of it was found to be a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone and it was on the head of David. And having brought out the spoils of the city which were very great,

BrentonAnd David took the crown of Molchom their king off his head, and the weight of it was found to be a talent of gold, and on it were precious stones; and it was placed on the head of David: and he brought out the spoils of the city which were very great.

Greekκαὶ ἔλαβεν Δαυεὶδ τὸν στέφανον Μολχὸλ βασιλέως αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εὑρέθη ὁ σταθμὸς αὐτοῦ τάλαντον χρυσίου, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ λίθος τίμιος, καὶ ἦν ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν Δαυείδ· καὶ σκῦλα τῆς πόλεως ἐξήνεγκεν πολλὰ σφόδρα.

KJVAnd 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.

JPSAnd David took the crown of Malcam 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, exceeding much.

Thomsonhe brought out the people who were in it, and put them to saws and iron mattocks and among quarry men. And when David had done in this manner to all the Ammonites, he and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

BrentonAnd he brought out the people that were in it, and sawed them asunder with saws, and cut them with iron axes, and with harrows: and thus David did to all the children of Ammon. And David and all his people returned to Jerusalem.

Greekκαὶ τὸν λαὸν τὸν ἐν αὐτῇ ἐξήγαγεν καὶ διέπρισεν πρίοσιν καὶ ἐν σκεπάρνοις σιδηροῖς, καὶ οὕτως ἐποίησεν Δαυεὶδ τοῖς παισὶν υἱοῖς Ἀμμών· καὶ ἀνέστρεψεν Δαυεὶδ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς αὐτοῦ εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ.

KJVAnd 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.

JPSAnd he brought forth the people that were therein, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. And thus did David unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

ThomsonAnd after these things there was another battle at Gazer with the Philistines, in which Sobochai-sosathai smote Saphut a descendant of the giants and subdued him.

BrentonAnd it came to pass afterward that there was again war with the Philistines in Gazer: then Sobochai the Sosathite smote Saphut of the sons of the giants, and laid him low.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐγένετο ἔτι πόλεμος ἐν Γάζερ μετὰ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων· τότε ἐπάταξεν Σοβοχαὶ Θωσαθεὶ τὸν Σαφοὺτ ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν τῶν γιγάντων καὶ ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτόν.

KJV—

JPSAnd it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Sippai, of the sons of the giants; and they were subdued.

ThomsonThere was also another battle with the Philistines, when Eleanan son of Jair smote Lachmai a brother of Goliath the Gethite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

BrentonAnd there was war again with the Philistines; and Eleanan the son of Jair smote Lachmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, and the wood of his spear was as a weavers' beam.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο ἔτι πόλεμος μετὰ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ ἐπάταξεν Ἐλλὰν υἱὸς Ἰαεὶρ τὸν Ἐλεμεὲ ἀδελφὸν Γολιὰθ τοῦ Γεθθαίου, καὶ ξύλον δόρατος αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀντίον ὑφαινόντων.

KJVAnd 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.

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

ThomsonThere was also another battle at Geth, and there was a man of great stature there, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, in all twenty-four, and he also was a descendant of the giants,

BrentonAnd there was again war in Geth, and there was a man of extraordinary size, and his fingers and toes were six on each hand and foot, four and twenty; and he was descended from the giants.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο ἔτι πόλεμος ἐν Γέθ, καὶ ἦν ἀνὴρ ὑπερμεγέθης, καὶ δάκτυλοι αὐτοῦ ἓξ καὶ ἓξ, εἴκοσι τέσσαρες· καὶ οὗτος ἦν ἀπόγονος γιγάντων.

KJVAnd 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.

JPSAnd there was again 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 born unto the giant.

Thomsonand he defied Israel; but Jonathan son of Samaa, a brother of David, smote him.

BrentonAnd he defied Israel, and Jonathan the son of Samaa the brother of David slew him.

GreekΚαὶ ὠνείδισεν τὸν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν Ἰωναθὰν υἱὸς Σαμαά, υἱὸς ἀδελφοῦ Δαυείδ.

KJVBut when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David’s brother slew him.

JPSAnd when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David’s brother slew him.

ThomsonThese were the descendants of Rapha at Geth. They were all four giants, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

BrentonThese were born to Rapha in Geth; all four were giants, and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

GreekΟὗτος ἐγένετο Ῥαφὰ ἐν Γέθ· πάντες ἦσαν τέσσαρες γίγαντες, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐν χειρὶ Δαυεὶδ καὶ ἐν χειρὶ παίδων αὐτοῦ.

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

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