David Puts the Entire Population of a Conquered City to Work with Saws and Iron Tools
After Joab captures Rabbah, the capital of the Ammonites — the same nation that had insulted David's peace envoys by shaving them and cutting their garments — David takes the crown from the head of their king and places it on his own head. Then he takes the people of the city and puts them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. The Hebrew is disputed: some translations read 'cut them with saws,' others 'set them to labor with saws.' Either way, the entire population is subjected to David's implements of iron. He does the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then he and all Israel return to Jerusalem.
David Puts the Entire Population of a Conquered City to Work with Saws and Iron Tools
At the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, Joab led out the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Joab struck Rabbah, and overthrew it.