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In that region, kings usually went with their armies to fight their enemies in the springtime. But the following year, David did not do that. Instead, he stayed in Jerusalem and sent his commander Joab to lead the army. Joab and his troops ruined the land of the Ammon people group. Then they went to Rabbah, the capital city, and surrounded it. Joab and his troops killed the army in the city of Rabbah and demolished the city. 2 David then came to Rabbah, took the crown from the head of the king of Rabbah and put it on his own head. It weighed thirty-three kilograms and was gold. It had a valuable stone in it. They also took many other valuable things from the city. 3 Then they brought the people out of the city and forced them to work for their army, using saws and iron picks and axes. David’s soldiers did this in all the cities of the Ammon people group. Then David and all of his army returned to Jerusalem.
4 Some time later, David’s army fought with the army of Philistia, at the city of Gezer. During the battle Sibbekai, from the Hushah clan, killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rapha giants. So David’s army defeated the army of Philistia.
5 In another battle against the soldiers of Philistia, Elhanan son of Jair, killed Lahmi, the younger brother of the giant Goliath from the city of Gath, who had a spear which was as thick as a weaver’s rod.
6 There was another battle near Gath. A huge man was there who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. He was also a descendant of the Rapha giants. 7 When he insulted the soldiers of Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea killed him. Shimea was one of David’s older brothers.
8 Those were some of the descendants of the Rapha giants who had lived in Gath. David and his soldiers killed them.