Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 27. The city of waters. Rabbath, the royal city of the Ammonites, was called the city of waters, from being encompassed with waters. Challoner. See Calmet. 5:8.—The Hebrew in the preceding verse seems to insinuate, ( Bible.) that “he had taken the royal city.” But he was only on the point of doing it, or had, perhaps, made himself master of some part of it. Here the Hebrew “I have taken,” may be explained in the same sense, unless the city of waters were the lower part of Rabbath, lying on the Jaboc. Junius translates, “He cut off the waters, which entered the city;” and Josephus favours this explanation. It seems the siege lasted about two years. Calmet.—Antiochus took this city, by depriving the inhabitants of water. Polyb. v.