Dual Panel1The following spring, the time of year when kings go to war, Joab led the Israelite army in successful attacks against the towns and villages of the Ammonites. In the process they laid siege to the city of Rabbah and destroyed it. But David had stayed behind in Jerusalem.
2When David arrived at Rabbah, he removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on David’s own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed about seventy–five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.
3He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, picks, and axes. That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite cities. Then David and his army returned to Jerusalem.
4After this, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. As they fought, Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, a descendant of the giants, and so the Philistines were subdued.
5During another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath of Gath. The handle of Lahmi’s spear was as thick as a weaver’s beam!
6In another battle with the Philistines at Gath, a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot––a descendant of the giants––
7defied and taunted Israel. But he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea.
8These Philistines were descendants of the giants of Gath, but they were killed by David and his warriors.