Now therefore gather thou the rest of the people together, and besiege the city and take it: lest when the city shall be wasted by me, the victory be ascribed to my name.

Now therefore collect the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.

and now, gather the rest of the people, and encamp against the city, and capture it, lest I capture the city, and my name hath been called upon it.'

So now, get the rest of the people together, and put them in position against the town and take it, for if I take it, it will be named after my name.

Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and besiege the city, and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.'

Now therefore, gather the remaining portion of the people together, and besiege the city and take it. Otherwise, when the city will have been laid waste by me, the victory will be ascribed to my name."

Now therefore gather the rest of the people together,.... The rest of the soldiers in the land of Israel, and come to Rabbah:
and encamp against the city; invest it in form:
and take it; upon a surrender or by storm; for it could not hold out long:
lest I take the city, and it be called after my name; so great a regard had Joab, though an ambitious man, to the fame and credit of David his king: so Craterus (a) at the siege of Artacacna, being prepared to take it, waited the coming of Alexander, that he might have the honour of it.
(a) Curt. Hist. l. 6. c. 6.

encamp against the city, and take it--It has always been characteristic of Oriental despots to monopolize military honors; and as the ancient world knew nothing of the modern refinement of kings gaining victories by their generals, so Joab sent for David to command the final assault in person. A large force was levied for the purpose. David without much difficulty captured the royal city and obtained possession of its immense wealth.
lest I take the city, and it be called after my name--The circumstance of a city receiving a new name after some great person, as Alexandria, Constantinople, Hyderabad, is of frequent occurrence in the ancient and modern history of the East.

Take it - For having taken one part of the city, he concluded the remaining part of it could not long stand out. Lest - Lest I have the honour of taking it.