And the peopleוְ הָעָםwhoאֲשֶׁרwerein itבָּהּhe brought out,הוֹצִיאand he put themוַיָּשֶׂםwith the sawבַּמְּגֵרָהand with the picksוּבַחֲרִצֵיof ironהַבַּרְזֶלand with the axesוּבְמַגְזְרֹתof iron,הַבַּרְזֶלand he made them pass throughוְהֶעֱבִיר אוֹתָםthe brick kiln;בַּמַּלְבֵּןand soוְכֵןhe didיַעֲשֶׂהto allלְכֹלthe citiesעָרֵיof the sonsבְנֵיof Ammon.עַמּוֹןThen Davidוַ דָּוִדand allוְכָלthe peopleהָעָםreturnedיָּשָׁבto Jerusalem.יְרוּשָׁלִָם
2 Samuel 12:31
Study it in the app“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.”
With the Hebrew beneath
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.
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.
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
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).
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).
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)