Rabbah
    or Rab'bath, great. (1.) "Rabbath of the children of Ammon," the
    chief city of the Ammonites, among the eastern hills, some 20
    miles east of the Jordan, on the southern of the two streams
    which united with the Jabbok. Here the bedstead of Og was
    preserved (Deut. 3:11), perhaps as a trophy of some victory
    gained by the Ammonites over the king of Bashan. After David had
    subdued all their allies in a great war, he sent Joab with a
    strong force to take their city. For two years it held out
    against its assailants. It was while his army was engaged in
    this protracted siege that David was guilty of that deed of
    shame which left a blot on his character and cast a gloom over
    the rest of his life. At length, having taken the "royal city"
    (or the "city of waters," 2 Sam. 12:27, i.e., the lower city on
    the river, as distinguished from the citadel), Joab sent for
    David to direct the final assault (11:1; 12:26-31). The city was
    given up to plunder, and the people were ruthlessly put to
    death, and "thus did he with all the cities of the children of
    Ammon." The destruction of Rabbath was the last of David's
    conquests. His kingdom now reached its farthest limits (2 Sam.
    8:1-15; 1 Chr. 18:1-15). The capture of this city is referred to
    by Amos (1:14), Jeremiah (49:2, 3), and Ezekiel (21:20; 25:5).

      (2.) A city in the hill country of Judah (Josh. 15:60),
    possibly the ruin Rubba, six miles north-east of Beit-Jibrin.



 Rabbah, great; powerful; contentious