1 Chronicles 20:3

_AND HE BROUGHT OUT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN IT, AND CUT THEM WITH SAWS, AND WITH HARROWS OF IRON, AND WITH AXES. EVEN SO DEALT DAVID WITH ALL THE CITIES OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON. AND DAVID AND ALL THE PEOPLE RETURNED TO JERUSALEM._ Cut them with saws ... The Hebrew word, "cut them," is, with the difference of the final letter, the same as that rendered "put them," in the parallel passage of Samuel; and many consider that putting them to saws, axes, etc., means nothing more than that David condemned the inhabitants of Rabbah to hard and penal servitude....

Verse 1 Chronicles 20:3. _HE BROUGHT OUT THE PEOPLE_] See this transaction particularly explained in the notes on the parallel places, 2 Samuel 12:30-10....

EXPOSITION The contents of this chapter are all to be found in the work of Samuel, but woven in, in very different places. The cause of the first considerable difference of this kind is in connection with the occurrence of what would have seemed a mere casual detail of expression in our first verse, "But David tarried at Jerusalem," at which same statement, however, the writer of Samuel halts, to append all that then happened with David in the disastrous matter of Bathsheba and Uriah, occupying nearly two whole chapters—a history not recorded at all by the Chronicle compiler. Why David tarried at Jerusalem, and how far he did so legitimately and in harmony with the necessities of government, we know not, but certain it is, he was tempted to make the unhappiest use of his "tarrying at Jerusalem." 1 CHRONICLES 20:1 The fifteenth verse of th

See Gill "1Ch 20:1"....

CHAPTER 20 JOAB AND DAVID TAKE RABBAH _ 1. Rabbah destroyed (1 Chronicles 20:1)_ 2. The Philistine giants slain (1 Chronicles 20:4) Rabbah was the capital of Ammon (Deuteronomy 3:11; Joshua 13:25) and was taken by Joab. David tarried in Jerusalem (so fatal to him, 2 Samuel 11:1) and Joab smote Rabbah and destroyed it. Then David appeared also upon the scene. Joab had summoned David to help in the overthrow of the city ...

THE AMMONITES SUBDUED (see notes on 2 Samuel 11:1; 2 Samuel 12:30 f.). 1 CHRONICLES 20:4. INCIDENTS DURING THE PHILISTINE WAR (see notes on 2 Samuel 21:18)....

CUT. Hebrew. _sur._ Occurs only here; the meaning "cut" is arbitrary. It must be explained by 2 Samuel 12:31, where it is _sum,_ and is rendered "put". "appointed them [to work] with". See notes there. _Sur_ is probably from _yashar =_ to regulate, or rule....

1 Chronicles 20:1-3 (2 Samuel 11:1; 2 Samuel 12:26-31). The Subjugation of Ammon The account of the siege of Rabbah is given more shortly in Chron. than in 2 Sam. From the latter we learn that the Ark was in the besiegers" camp (1 Chronicles 11:11), that the city was defended with spirit (1 Chronicles 11:17), and finally taken piecemeal (1 Chronicles 12:26-29)....

_JOAB TAKES THE CITY OF RABBAH. THE PHILISTINES ARE THREE TIMES OVERCOME BY DAVID AND HIS SERVANTS._ _Before Christ 1037._ REFLECTIONS.—While Joab conquered the country of the Ammonites, David stayed at Jerusalem: we learn, with grief, to how bad purpose, 2 Samuel 11. Here his crime is passed over. A veil should be drawn ever the sins which are repented of, and they should no more be mentioned to a man's shame....

12. WARS WITH RABBAH AND THE PHILISTINES (1 Chronicles 20:1-8) 1 Chronicles 20:1. And it came to pass, at the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Joab led forth the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and overthrew it. 2. And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding much. 3. And he brought forth the people that were therein, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. And thus did David unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and