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1 Chronicles 20:1

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

When spring came around—the time when kings usually go out to war—Joab led the army and devastated the land of the Ammonites. He came and surrounded their capital city, Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and completely destroyed it.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse describes how David's army, led by Joab, successfully conquered the Ammonite capital while David remained in Jerusalem instead of leading the battle himself.

📚 Historical Context

This passage describes events during David's reign as king of Israel, likely around 1000 BC. The Ammonites were longtime enemies of Israel, located east of the Jordan River in what is now Jordan. Spring was traditionally the season for military campaigns in the ancient Near East because the weather was favorable and crops had been harvested.

Explore Similar Verses

Jeremiah 25:9
Look, I will gather all the armies from the north, says the LORD, including Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, who serves my purposes. I will bring them against this land and its people, and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them so devastated that people will be shocked and mock them, leaving them as permanent ruins.
Numbers 21:30
We have attacked and destroyed them; Heshbon is completely ruined all the way to Dibon, and we have devastated everything all the way to Nophah, which extends to Medeba.
2 Kings 3:25
They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good piece of farmland until it was covered and ruined. They plugged up all the water wells and cut down all the good trees. Only in Kir-haraseth did they leave the stone walls standing, but even there the slingers surrounded the city and attacked it.

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Translation & Methodology Sources

The original manuscript text provided is based on the King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain. Our modern English simplifications are generated via proprietary philological synthesis, cross-referenced against Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and the Textus Receptus to ensure unwavering theological and etymological precision.

Read our full translation methodology →