^12:26⁴¹ So Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city. ^12:27Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city.⁴²^12:28So now assemble the rest of the army⁴³ and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me.”

^12:29So David assembled all the army and went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it.

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Footnotes

41 Here the narrative resumes the battle story that began in 11:1 (see 11:25). The author has interrupted that story to give the related account of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. He now returns to the earlier story and brings it to a conclusion.
42 The expression translated the water supply of the city (Heb “the city of the waters”) apparently refers to that part of the fortified city that guarded the water supply of the entire city. Joab had already captured this part of the city, but he now defers to King David for the capture of the rest of the city. In this way the king will receive the credit for this achievement.
43 Heb “people.” So also in vv. 29, 31.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. Now then gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called by my name.” So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Meanwhile Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal citadel. Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply. Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me.”

So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress. Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, “I have fought against Rabbah and have also captured its water supply. Now therefore, assemble the rest of the troops, lay siege to the city, and capture it. Otherwise I will be the one to capture the city, and it will be named after me.” So David assembled all the troops and went to Rabbah; he fought against it and captured it.

NLTNew Living Translation

Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications. Joab sent messengers to tell David, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply. Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory.”

So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and he captured the royal city. Then Joab sent messengers to David and said, “We have fought against Rabbah, and we captured the city of the waters. So then, gather the remainder of the army and encamp against the city and capture it, lest I capture the city and my name be proclaimed over it.” So David gathered all of the army, and he went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it.

KJV 1900King James Version

And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city. And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters. Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name. And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

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