Joab Captures the City of Rabbah
1In the spring, Joab led Israel’s army out. It was the time when kings march out to war. Joab destroyed the land of Ammon. He went to the city of Rabbah. He surrounded it and got ready to attack it. But David remained in Jerusalem. Later, Joab attacked Rabbah and completely destroyed it. 2David took the gold crown off the head of the king of Ammon. The crown weighed 75 pounds. It had jewels in it. It was placed on David’s head. He took a huge amount of goods from the city. 3He brought out the people who were there. He made them work with saws and iron picks and axes. David did that to all the towns in Ammon. Then he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.
Israel Goes to War Against the Philistines
4War broke out at Gezer against the Philistines. At that time Sibbekai killed Sippai. So the Philistines were brought under Israel’s control. Sibbekai was a Hushathite. Sippai was from the family line of Rapha.
5In another battle against the Philistines, Elhanan killed Lahmi. Elhanan was the son of Jair. Lahmi was the brother of Goliath. Goliath was from the city of Gath. Lahmi’s spear was as big as a weaver’s rod.
6There was still another battle. It took place at Gath. A huge man lived there. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. So the total number of his toes and fingers was 24. He was also from the family line of Rapha. 7He made fun of Israel. So Jonathan killed him. Jonathan was the son of David’s brother Shimea.
8Those Philistine men lived in Gath. They were from the family line of Rapha. David and his men killed them.
Yderligere kamp mod ammonitterne
2.Sam. 11,1; 12,30-31
1Næste forår omkring den tid, hvor kongerne sædvanligvis drager i krig, rykkede Joab ud med den israelitiske hær. De besejrede den ammonitiske hær og belejrede Rabba.20,1 Ammons hovedstad, svarende til det nuværende Amman i Jordan. Men David selv blev hjemme i Jerusalem. Joab angreb Rabba og ødelagde den.
2Da David kort efter ankom til Rabba, fjernede han kronen fra ammonitterkongens20,2 Eller mere ordret: „deres konges hoved”. Teksten kan med lidt andre vokaler oversættes „Milkoms hoved”. Milkom, det samme som Molek/Molok, var ammonitternes afgud, jf. 1.Kong. 11,5-7. hoved og satte den på sit eget. Den vejede over 30 kg og var lavet af guld, og der var en stor ædelsten på den. Desuden tog han et stort krigsbytte. 3Byens befolkning tog han som krigsfanger og satte dem til at arbejde med save, hakker og økser. På samme måde gik det indbyggerne fra de øvrige byer i ammonitternes land.
Derefter vendte David og hæren tilbage til Jerusalem.
Flere kæmper blandt filistrene bliver dræbt
2.Sam. 21,18-22
4Senere, da israelitterne kæmpede mod filistrene ved Gezer, dræbte Sibbekaj fra Husha en filister af den frygtede Rafa-slægt, en mand ved navn Sippaj, hvorefter filistrene overgav sig. 5Under en anden kamp mod filistrene lykkedes det Elhanan, Jairs søn, at dræbe en filister ved navn Lahmi, en bror til Goliat, hvis spydskaft var på størrelse med en vævebom. 6Og en anden gang, da israelitterne kæmpede mod filistrene ved Gat, var der en kæmpe af Rafa-slægten med seks fingre på hver hånd og seks tæer på hver fod. 7Han hånede Israel, men Jonatan,20,7 Sandsynligvis en fejlkopiering af Jonadab, jf. 2.Sam. 13,3. en søn af Davids bror Shima, dræbte ham. 8Disse filistre, der tilhørte kæmpeslægten Rafa fra Gat, blev hugget ned af Davids mænd.
