2 Samuel 12 27

2 Samuel 12:27 kjv

And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.

2 Samuel 12:27 nkjv

And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, "I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city's water supply.

2 Samuel 12:27 niv

Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply.

2 Samuel 12:27 esv

And Joab sent messengers to David and said, "I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters.

2 Samuel 12:27 nlt

Joab sent messengers to tell David, "I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.

2 Samuel 12 verses

2 Samuel 12 27 Meaning

This verse describes Joab's urgent message to King David regarding the progress of the siege against Rabbah, the Ammonite capital. Joab informs David that the city's vital "city of waters," likely the key water supply or lower part of the city, has been captured, making the remaining fortress vulnerable. This communication serves as a prompt for David to come and lead the final assault, ensuring the king receives the glory for the conquest.

2 Samuel 12 27 Context

This verse occurs at a critical juncture in King David's reign. Immediately preceding it, Nathan the prophet confronted David about his egregious sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah, orchestrated during the ongoing Ammonite war. David had repented, but the prophecy foretold severe consequences for his household, including the death of his newborn son. This verse, therefore, marks a turning point as Joab's message pulls David out of a period of passive guilt and potentially paralyzed leadership back into his royal responsibilities. The wider historical context is the war with Ammon (2 Sam 10), initiated after the Ammonites humiliated David's envoys. The siege of Rabbah, their capital, had been long and arduous, and David had remained in Jerusalem (2 Sam 11:1) rather than leading his troops, exacerbating his moral decline. Joab's report signals the impending fall of the capital and offers David an opportunity to reclaim his kingly image and participate in the triumph.

2 Samuel 12 27 Word analysis

• And Joab (וַיּוֹאָב - vayyo'av): Joab, David's commander-in-chief, is a pragmatic and shrewd military leader. His character throughout 2 Samuel shows both fierce loyalty to David and a willingness to take matters into his own hands, even defying the king's direct orders at times (e.g., Absalom's death). Here, his action demonstrates a calculated move.
• sent (וַיִּשְׁלַח - vayyishlach): A strong verb implying a deliberate action. It highlights Joab's initiative to inform David, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the message.
• messengers (מַלְאָכִים - mal'akhim): Refers to agents or envoys, indicating a formal communication, typical for reporting major military developments to the king.
• to David (אֶל-דָּוִיד - el-david): Highlights the clear chain of command and Joab's recognition of David's ultimate authority, despite the king's moral lapse.
• and said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer): Standard introduction to direct speech.
• I have fought against Rabbah (נִלְחַמְתִּי בְרַבָּה - nilkhamti ve'Rabbah): Joab reports his direct involvement and successful engagement in the ongoing siege of Rabbah. This reinforces his role as the active military leader. Rabbah was a highly fortified city and capital of the Ammonites, meaning its capture was a significant military achievement.
• moreover (גַּם - gam): This adverb emphasizes the additional, critical achievement that follows, indicating a distinct and important piece of information.
• I have taken (לָכַדְתִּי - lakhadeti): A decisive verb indicating a complete capture or seizure. It signifies the success of a major strategic objective.
• the city of waters (עִיר הַמַּיִם - 'ir hamayim): This is the most crucial part of Joab's message. "City of waters" likely refers to the lower city or a crucial section of Rabbah that contained or controlled its primary water source, possibly the Aroer Spring or Wadi Amman. In ancient siege warfare, controlling the water supply was paramount. Without water, a city's defenses would quickly collapse, rendering the main citadel unsustainable. Its capture meant the effective downfall of the entire city was imminent, even if the upper citadel still stood. This was a critical strategic vulnerability that Joab had secured.

2 Samuel 12 27 Bonus section

Some scholars suggest that Joab's initiative in summoning David to take credit for Rabbah's capture could also be seen as an act of damage control, subtly acknowledging David's leadership while reminding him of the military realities he had neglected. This reinforces Joab's complex character – capable of ruthless obedience to David's dark commands (as with Uriah), yet also loyal enough to protect David's honor and standing when needed. This act can be contrasted with David's previous passive stay in Jerusalem (2 Sam 11:1), marking his renewed commitment to active kingly duties after his repentance for sin.

2 Samuel 12 27 Commentary

Joab's message in 2 Samuel 12:27 is a masterpiece of strategic communication. It's concise, informative, and manipulative, all at once. By reporting the capture of the "city of waters," Joab tells David that the most difficult part of the siege is done; the capital is now defenseless regarding its crucial life-blood – water supply. Joab’s implicit message to David is to come and personally lead the final assault on Rabbah. This shrewd move by Joab serves several purposes:First, it ensured that David, the King, received the final credit and glory for capturing the enemy capital, rather than Joab, a commander. This preserved David's royal image and reinforced his position as a victorious leader, which was crucial given his recent moral failures and the accompanying prophetic pronouncements.Second, it perhaps prevented potential blame or a divine curse if the ultimate capture of such a city, tied to a divine promise of land to Israel, was accomplished solely by a general and not the divinely appointed king.Third, it was a loyal act that called David back to his responsential leadership. After David's period of spiritual and personal paralysis due to his sin, Joab's message serves as a practical, strategic push for David to re-engage with his duties. It was a catalyst for David to symbolically reassert his leadership, shifting his focus from his personal tragedy (the impending death of his son) to his public role as king.The capture of the "city of waters" was a technical, strategic move, highlighting ancient siege warfare tactics where controlling essential resources like water meant ultimate victory.