1 Chronicles 20:1 Meaning and Explanation
“And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of 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 destroyed it.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →In the campaigning season Joab leads Israel's army against Ammon and besieges its capital, Rabbah, while David remains in Jerusalem.
What Does 1 Chronicles 20:1 Mean?
The chronicler resumes the Ammonite war begun earlier. Spring was the season when armies marched, and Joab, David's commander, presses the siege of Rabbah, the chief city, until it falls. The single line that David stayed behind quietly marks the king's absence from the field where he belonged.
Scripture often says much with little. The note that David 'tarried' is not idle detail; it sets the stage for the king's sorest failure, recorded fully elsewhere. Here we are reminded that the place of duty is the place of safety, and that even the anointed must keep watch. The true King who came after David would never withdraw from His people's battle, but would go to the hardest field of all for our sake.
1 Chronicles 20:1 in the Original Language
Rabbah (רַבָּה), 'great' -- the fortified capital of Ammon, named for its size and strength.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Chronicles 20:1
What does 1 Chronicles 20:1 mean?
In the campaigning season Joab leads Israel's army against Ammon and besieges its capital, Rabbah, while David remains in Jerusalem.