³ He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes.^[a] That is how David dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

² David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun because his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent messengers to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.

But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the land so they can come in and conquer it!” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved them, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.

⁵ When David heard what had happened to the men, he sent messengers to tell them, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back.” For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.

²¹ These were descendants of the nations whom the people of Israel had not completely destroyed.^[a] So Solomon conscripted them as slaves, and they serve as forced laborers to this day.

³¹ He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with^[a] saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns.^[b] That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ Then Gideon took the elders of the town and taught them a lesson, punishing them with thorns and briers from the wilderness. ¹⁷ He also tore down the tower of Peniel and killed all the men in the town.

⁶ But the officials of Succoth replied, “Catch Zebah and Zalmunna first, and then we will feed your army.”

⁷ So Gideon said, “After the Lord gives me victory over Zebah and Zalmunna, I will return and tear your flesh with the thorns and briers from the wilderness.”

²³ May you be cursed! From now on you will always be servants who cut wood and carry water for the house of my God.”

¹⁴ They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands.