20:1 In the spring, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, 1 Joab led the army into battle and devastated the land of the Ammonites. He went and besieged Rabbah, while David stayed in Jerusalem. Joab defeated Rabbah and tore it down. 20:2 David took the crown from the head of their king 2 and wore it 3 (its weight was a talent 4 of gold and it was set with precious stones). He took a large amount of plunder from the city. 20:3 He removed the city’s residents and made them do hard labor with saws, iron picks, and axes. 5 This was his policy 6 with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.
1 tn Heb “and it was at the time of the turning of the year, at the time of the going out of kings.”
2 tc The translation follows the MT, which reads “of their king”; the LXX and Vulgate read “of Milcom” (cf. 1 Kgs 11:5). Milcom, also known as Molech, was the god of the Ammonites.
3 tn Heb “and it was on the head of David.”
4 sn See the note on the word “talents” in 19:6.
5 tc The Hebrew text reads “saws,” but since saws were just mentioned, it is preferable to emend מְגֵרוֹת (mÿgerot, “saws”) to מַגְזְרוֹת (magzÿrot, “axes”).
6 tn Heb “and so he would do.”