Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

And have taken the city of waters - The city where the tank or reservoir was that supplied the city and suburbs with water. Some think that the original, המים עיר את לכדתי lachadti eth ir hammayim, should be translated I have intercepted, or cut off, the waters of the city: and Houbigant translates the place, et aquas ab urbe jam derivavi; "And I have already drawn off the waters from the city." This perfectly agrees with the account in Josephus, who says των τε ὑδατων αυτους αποτεμνομενος, having cut off their waters, Antiq., lib. vii., cap. 7. This was the reason why David should come speedily, as the citadel, deprived of water, could not long hold out.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The city of waters - The lower town of Rabbah (the modern Ammam), so called from a stream which rises within it and flows through it. The upper town with the citadel lay on a hill to the north of the stream, and was probably not tenable for any length of time after the supply of water was cut off.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And Joab sent messengers to David,.... To acquaint him how he had proceeded, and what success he had had:

and said, I have fought against Rabbah; laid siege to it, and skirmished with parties that sallied out upon them:

and have taken the city of waters; the same with the royal city, and so the Targum here renders it; so called because situated by the waterside; Adrichomius says^F24Theatrum T. S. p. 34. the river Jabbok flowed round about it: or it abounded with fountains of water, from whence the other part of the city, or what was properly the city Rabbah, was supplied with water; and which communication being cut off, it could not hold out long, which Joab being sensible of, therefore sent for David. Junius and Tremellius render the words, "I have intercepted the water from the city"; with which the account of Josephus^F25Antiqu. l. 7. c. 7. sect. 5. agrees, who says, that he cut off the water from them, and precluded other supplies, so that they were in great distress for want of food and drink; and in like manner it was taken by Antiochus some hundreds of years later; for that; historian says^F26Polyb. Hist. l. 5. p. 414. the siege by him lasted long, and they could not prevail, because of the multitude of men it, until one of the prisoners showed them a subterraneous passage, through which they came and fetched water; which they stopped up with stones and such like things, and then through want of water yielded.

Geneva Study Bible

(r) That is, the chief city and where all the water pipes are, is as good as taken.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

the city of waters — Rabbah, like Aroer, was divided into two parts - one the lower town, insulated by the winding course of the Jabbok, which flowed almost round it, and the upper and stronger town, called the royal city. “The first was taken by Joab, but the honor of capturing so strongly a fortified place as the other was an honor reserved for the king himself.”

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

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

Of waters — Rabbah was so called because it was encompassed with water.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Samuel 12:27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.

Ver. 27. The city of waters,] i.e., { a} The palace royal encompassed with waters, both for safeguard and delight. Or, The city of waters, that is, the waters of the city; (b) so that it cannot long hold out; praecisis aquae ductibus, saith Josephus.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

The same royal city so called, because it either stood beside the river, or was encompassed with water, both for defence and delight. Although the words are by some learned men rendered thus,

I have taken, or intercepted, or cut off water from the city; which well agrees, both with the words, eth being here put for meeth, which is frequent; as Genesis 4:1 44:4 Exodus 9:29, &c.; and with the relation of Josephus the Jew, who saith, The conduits of water were cut off, and so the city was taken; and with a relation of Polybius concerning the same city, which was taken afterwards by Antiochus in the same manner, by cutting off water from the city.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

CHAPTER XII.

The city of waters. Rabbath, the royal city of the Ammonites, was called the city of waters, from being encompassed with waters. (Challoner) See chap. v. 8. --- The Hebrew in the preceding verse seems to insinuate, (Haydock) 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. (Polybius v.)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

city of waters. Figure of speech Hypallage. App-6= waters of the city: i.e. the lower waters or town, cutting off the citadel, which David came and took.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

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

The city of waters. Rabbah, like Aroer, was divided into two parts-one, the lower town, insulated by the winding course of the Jabbok, which flowed almost round it, and the upper and stronger town, called the royal city, from its being the seat of the Ammonite Government, and containing the palace of the king. Here was kept the iron bedstead of Og, as an antique relic, indicating the stature and strength of the gigantic king of Bashan. The first was taken by Joab, but the honour of capturing so strongly a fortified place as the other was an honour reserved for the king himself.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Rabbah

11:1; Deuteronomy 3:11; Ezekiel 21:20

the city of waters

Probably that part of the city situated near the pond, from which the rest received their water.