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.
NIV
Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, "I have fought against Rabbah and taken its water supply.
NASB
Then Joab sent messengers to David and said, 'I have fought against Rabbah, I have even captured the city of waters.
CSB
Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, "I have fought against Rabbah and have also captured its water supply.
NLT
Joab sent messengers to tell David, 'I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.
KJV
And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.
NKJV
And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city’s water supply.
What does 2 Samuel 12:27 mean?
The year prior, David had sent Joab to battle against the Ammonites who had dishonored David's messengers. With David's help, the Israelite army conquered the Syrians hired by Ammon as mercenaries. But the Ammonite king and his people stayed safe behind their stone walls (2 Samuel 10). The next spring, "the time when kings go out to battle," David sent Joab and the army to finish the job (2 Samuel 11:1).Joab is almost ready to enter Rabbah. He honors David by inviting him to take the credit. David does and collects a great deal of spoils, including an enormous crown. He also assigns the conquered people to do manual labor (2 Samuel 12:28–31).
Joab tells David he's taken the "city of waters." Commentators suggest this means Joab captured the city's water supply. It may have been that the spring that provided water for the citizens of Rabbah was separated from the main part of the city. Once Joab took control of the water, the city would be forced to surrender. Joab knew it was only a matter of time, and David needed to be there when the main part of the city fell (2 Samuel 12:28).
This war is the context for David's sin against Uriah and Bathsheba. Uriah was fighting with Joab when David took Bathsheba. David called Uriah back when he found out Bathsheba was pregnant, but Uriah refused to enjoy the comforts of home when his fellow soldiers slept in tents on a field. David sent a note back with Uriah, telling Joab to leave Uriah defenseless. Uriah died under the walls of Rabbah (2 Samuel 11).
