2 Samuel 12:31

“And the people who were in it he brought out, and he put them with the saw and with the picks of iron and with the axes of iron, and he made them pass through the brick kiln; and so he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.”

2 Samuel 12:31 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

31

2 Samuel 12:31, word by word

And the peopleעָםam

crowd

The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.

Where else “am” appears
he brought outהוֹצִיאhotsi

bring out

To lead someone out: "I led you out of Egypt".

Where else “hotsi” appears
and he put themיָּשֶׂםyasem

put

To put something somewhere.

Where else “yasem” appears
with the sawמְּגֵרָהmegera

saw

Saw for cutting wood or stone.

Where else “megera” appears
and with the picksחֲרִצֵיcharitse

pick

A sharp iron tool.

Where else “charitse” appears
of ironבַּרְזֶלbarzel

iron

Iron; an iron tool.

Where else “barzel” appears
and with the axesמַגְזְרֹתmagzrot

axe

Axe, a cutting tool.

Where else “magzrot” appears
and he made them pass throughהֶעֱבִירheevir

pass

To get over a river, or go through a land.

Where else “heevir” appears
the brick kilnמַּלְבֵּןmalben

brick mold

A clay mold for making bricks, or the kiln where they are fired.

Where else “malben” appears
he didיַעֲשֶׂהyaase

do

To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.

Where else “yaase” appears
the citiesעָרֵיare

city

A settled place protected by a wall, with a gate and houses.

Where else “are” appears
of the sonsבְנֵיvene

descendant

A descendant or member of a people: "sons of Israel".

Where else “vene” appears
of Ammonעַמּוֹןamon

Ammon

See it on the mapWhere else “amon” appears
Then Davidדָּוִדdavid

David

David, youngest son of Jesse, of Bethlehem; the second king of Israel. The name means "beloved."

Where else “david” appears
returnedיָּשָׁבyashav

return

To go back to a place.

Where else “yashav” appears
to Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָםyerushalaim

Jerusalem

See it on the mapWhere else “yerushalaim” appears

Translation note

The Hebrew is brief and allows two readings: that David put them to work with those tools and at the brick kilns, or that he punished them with them. It is translated word for word, without choosing.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

The capture of Rabbah

2 Samuel 11:11 Chronicles 20:1-3

See them side by side

2 Samuel 12:26-31

26Joab fought against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon and took the city of the kingdom. 27Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; I have also taken the city of the waters. 28Now then, gather the rest of the people, encamp against the city, and take it, lest I take the city and my name be called over it.” 29So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it. 30He took the crown of their king from his head (its weight was a talent of gold, and it had a precious stone), and it was on the head of David. And the spoil of the city he brought out, a very great amount. 31And the people who were in it he brought out, and he put them with the saw and with the picks of iron and with the axes of iron, and he made them pass through the brick kiln; and so he did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 11:1

1And it happened, at the turn of the year, at the time when the kings go out, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 20:1-3

1And it happened, at the turn of the year, at the time when the kings go out, that Joab led out the force of the army and destroyed the land of the sons of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem. And Joab struck Rabbah and tore it down. 2David took the crown of their king from his head, and he found it to weigh a talent of gold, and on it was a precious stone; and it was on the head of David. And the spoil of the city he brought out, a very great amount. 3And the people who were in it he brought out, and he sawed them with the saw and with the picks of iron and with the saws; and so David did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Places in this verse

JerusalemAmmon
Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.
  • 1Ammon

    Today: Amman (Rabbah) and surroundings, Jordan

    The land east of the Jordan around Rabbah (present-day Amman, Jordan).

    The Ammonites came from a son of Lot (Gen 19:38). Jephthah defeated them (Judg 11:32-33) and David took their capital (2 Sam 12:26).

    Genesis 19:38Judges 11:42 Samuel 10:62 Samuel 12:26

  • 2Jerusalem

    Today: Old City of Jerusalem

    A city in the hills of Judea, about 22 miles (35 km) west of the Dead Sea and 35 miles (55 km) east of the Mediterranean.

    David took it and made it his city (2 Sam 5:7); Solomon built the temple there (1 Kgs 8:1). Jesus was presented there, and the apostles' witness began from it (Luke 2:22; Acts 1:8).

    2 Samuel 5:61 Kings 8:1Luke 2:22Acts 1:8

The context

30He took the crown of their king from his head (its weight was a talent of gold, and it had a precious stone), and it was on the head of David. And the spoil of the city he brought out, a very great amount.

31 · This verse (above)

Read all of 2 Samuel 12

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