1 Chronicles 20:2 kjv
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 also exceeding much spoil out of the city.
1 Chronicles 20:2 nkjv
Then David took their king's crown from his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it. And it was set on David's head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance.
1 Chronicles 20:2 niv
David took the crown from the head of their king?its weight was found to be a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones?and it was placed on David's head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city
1 Chronicles 20:2 esv
And David took the crown of their king from his head. He found that it weighed a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone. And it was placed on David's head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount.
1 Chronicles 20:2 nlt
Then David went to Rabbah and removed the crown from the king's head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and he found that it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.
1 Chronicles 20 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 12:29-30 | And David gathered all the people together... and took the crown of their king from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold, with the precious stones: and it was set on David's head... | Parallel account of Rabbah's capture and crown. |
| Psa 21:3 | For You meet him with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head. | God crowns His king with glory and blessing. |
| Psa 8:5 | You have made him a little lower than the angels, and have crowned him with glory and honor. | God's blessing and honor on humanity/Christ. |
| Isa 28:5 | In that day the Lord of hosts will be For a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty To the remnant of His people. | God as the ultimate source of glory for His people. |
| Zec 6:11 | Take silver and gold, make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest. | Crowns signifying priestly or royal authority. |
| Rev 2:10 | Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. | Promise of eternal reward, spiritual crown. |
| Rev 3:11 | Behold, I come quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. | Warning to preserve spiritual reward. |
| Rev 4:4 | Around the throne were twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. | Crowns as symbols of kingly status for the redeemed. |
| Rev 14:14 | And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud one like a son of man, having a golden crown on his head... | Christ depicted with a golden crown. |
| Isa 53:12 | Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong... | Prophecy of the Messiah sharing spoil of victory. |
| Col 2:15 | Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. | Christ's victory over spiritual powers, disarming them. |
| Deut 20:14 | But the women and the little ones and the livestock and everything in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as plunder for yourself... | God's instruction for taking spoil in war. |
| Josh 8:2 | You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves... | God's instruction for taking spoil in war. |
| Psa 97:7 | Let all be put to shame who serve carved images, who boast of idols. | Condemnation of idol worship, idols proven futile. |
| Isa 46:1-2 | Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; their idols are on animals and on livestock... They cannot deliver the burden, but themselves have gone into captivity. | Futility and overthrow of pagan deities/idols. |
| 1 Sam 17:51 | Then David ran and stood over the Philistine... he drew its sword from its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head. | David's prior victories symbolic of conquering the enemy. |
| 1 Sam 18:7 | So the women sang as they danced, and said: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands." | Acknowledgment of David's military prowess. |
| Deut 8:18 | And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth... | God as the source of wealth and prosperity. |
| Pro 3:16 | Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. | Wisdom leading to prosperity and honor. |
| 1 Chron 18:1 | After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them... | David's continued military conquests and success. |
| 1 Chron 22:7-8 | And David said to Solomon: "...But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name...'" | David's conquests leading to stability for temple building. |
1 Chronicles 20 verses
1 Chronicles 20 2 Meaning
1 Chronicles 20:2 describes King David's decisive victory over the Ammonites, specifically the fall of their capital, Rabbah. David takes the royal crown of the Ammonite king, a symbol of immense value and pagan authority, weighing an astonishing talent of gold and adorned with precious stones. This highly significant crown is placed on David's head, symbolically representing the transfer of power and divine blessing upon God's chosen king. Following this, the vast abundance of spoil from the conquered city is brought forth, further signifying the completeness of the victory and the wealth God bestowed upon His kingdom through David.
1 Chronicles 20 2 Context
1 Chronicles chapter 20 succinctly recounts David's military campaigns, focusing primarily on the final subjugation of the Ammonites and other related conflicts with the Philistines. The specific event in verse 2 follows the extended war between David and the Ammonites (begun in chapter 19 after the Ammonites insulted David's ambassadors). While the parallel account in 2 Samuel 12 intertwines this victory with David's grievous sin concerning Bathsheba and Uriah, the Chronicler deliberately omits these details. Instead, Chronicles emphasizes David's unblemished reign, focusing on his righteous character, his military success given by God, and his preparations for the temple. Thus, 1 Chronicles 20:2 is presented as a testament to God's continued favor upon David, showcasing his divine authority, military triumph, and the accumulation of wealth necessary for the future establishment of God's house in Jerusalem. This victory consolidates David's empire and eliminates a major pagan threat.
1 Chronicles 20 2 Word analysis
- And David took: The narrative emphasizes David as the agent of action, reflecting his decisive leadership in the victory granted by God.
- the crown (עֲטָרָה, ʿăṭārāh): Refers to a royal crown or diadem, symbolizing authority, royalty, and glory. In the context of the Ammonites, it likely embodied their national sovereignty and possibly their devotion to pagan deities like Molech or Milcom. Taking this crown signifies the complete subjugation of their political and religious power.
- from off his head: In the parallel account (2 Sam 12:30), "his head" refers to the Ammonite king. This act signifies the complete defeat of the Ammonite monarchy and the transfer of its symbolic power. It implies not just removal but ultimate dispossession.
- and found it to weigh a talent of gold (כִּכַּר זָהָב, kikkar zāhāḇ):
- Talent (כִּכַּר, kikkar): A large ancient Near Eastern unit of weight, approximately 75 pounds (or 34 kilograms) in biblical measure. This immense weight suggests the crown was not one that could be literally worn in a practical sense by the king as a daily garment. It may have been a cultic object, an ornate part of an idol, a large ceremonial headdress worn rarely, or perhaps a large, valuable treasure that represented the crown or regalia rather than the literal item.
- of gold (זָהָב, zāhāḇ): Emphasizes its extraordinary value and richness. The sheer quantity of gold speaks to the wealth and power of the Ammonite kingdom that David subdued.
- and there were precious stones (אֶבֶן יְקָרָה, ’eḇen yĕqārâ) in it: Further highlights the opulence, value, and prestige of the crown, indicating it was an item of significant grandeur and symbolic importance.
- and it was set upon David's head: This is a symbolic act of triumph and taking possession. While not practical for daily wear due to its weight, it signifies David's claim over the defeated king's sovereignty and the wealth he brought into the kingdom of God. It visually communicated the complete transfer of authority and blessing from a pagan power to God's anointed king. This demonstrates God's victory through David over the pagan world.
- and he brought forth the spoil (שָׁלָל, šālāl) of the city in great abundance:
- Spoil (שָׁלָל, šālāl): Refers to the plunder, booty, or wealth taken from a conquered city or enemy. This was a standard practice in ancient warfare.
- in great abundance: Signifies the immense quantity of riches and resources acquired from Rabbah, further emphasizing the completeness of David's victory and the subsequent prosperity God provided to Israel. This wealth would contribute to the building of the future temple.
1 Chronicles 20 2 Bonus section
The account in 1 Chronicles 20:2 serves as a vivid illustration of a deeper spiritual truth. Just as David stripped the crown from the head of his enemy and brought vast spoil into the Lord's treasury, so too does the Messiah, Jesus Christ, triumph over all powers and principalities. Colossians 2:15 speaks of Christ disarming and triumphing over spiritual powers, paralleling the removal of a pagan king's crown. Furthermore, the immense wealth gained by David for Israel points to the greater spiritual riches and eternal glory that God bestows upon His people through Christ's ultimate victory (Eph 1:3-14). This victory enables the building of God's eternal house, the spiritual temple composed of believers (Eph 2:20-22), an enduring legacy far greater than any physical temple or material spoil.
1 Chronicles 20 2 Commentary
1 Chronicles 20:2 stands as a potent declaration of David's divine endorsement and the triumph of God's kingdom over paganism. By taking the Ammonite crown, an item of colossal value, David literally embodies the shift of power from an idolatrous regime to God's chosen king. The immense weight of the gold talent suggests it was not merely a crown for adornment but potentially a ceremonial or cultic object of profound significance to the Ammonites, perhaps even adorning their chief deity, Molech. Placing it on David's head therefore wasn't just a claim of territorial victory but a powerful theological statement: the God of Israel has triumphed over the gods of the nations, and His anointed king now possesses their authority and wealth. The abundant spoils underscore God's blessing upon Israel and the material resources He provided for David, some of which would later be dedicated to the building of the temple. The Chronicler's omission of David's sin (found in the parallel 2 Samuel account) is intentional, focusing purely on David's success and portraying him as an instrument of divine victory, setting the stage for the prosperity and stability required for the temple's foundation.