David Takes Rabbah

The story of Bath-sheba and the killing of Uriah interrupted the biblical narrative of the war against the Ammonites. Now the focus shifts back to the siege of Rabbah.

The city was on a lower level than the walled citadel, which stood apart at the top of a cliff. Once the lower city with its water source fell, the upper city could not hold out. Joab sent word to David that he should come down immediately and direct the final assault (2 Samuel 12:27, 28). “The siege of Rabbah was practically over. The most important part of the city had already fallen, and it was evident that the rest of the city would soon be in Israelite hands. Joab graciously extended the invitation to David to bring the rest of the forces of Israel, that the king might take the city in person and have the glory of its capture. “. . . When David took Jerusalem, it was given the name ‘city of David’ (ch. 5:7, 9). It seems that Joab planned that Rabbah, after its capture, should receive, not his name, but David’s.” David mustered the people and went down to Rabbah. The city did not last long before Israel triumphed.

“And he [David] took their king’s crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David’s head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance” (v. 30).

As a talent weighed around seventy-five pounds, it is doubtful David, or any other king, wore it for long. “The same Hebrew consonants that here form the words ‘their king’ also form the name Malcham (or Milcom), the national god of the Ammonites (Zeph. 1:5).

Some thus believe that the crown taken by David was that of the idol rather than of the king, since the crown would seem to be too heavy to be worn by a man.” David put the Ammonites to work as laborers (2 Samuel 12:31). The war was over.

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).