He also brought out the people who were in it and set them up with saws, sharp iron instruments, and iron axes, and made them pass through the brickkiln. And thus he used to do to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 12:29 So David gathered all the people and went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it.
2 Samuel 12:30 Then he took the crown of their king from his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city in a very great amount.
2 Samuel 12:31 He also brought out the people who were in it and set them up with saws, sharp iron instruments, and iron axes, and made them pass through the brickkiln. And thus he used to do to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
The verse centers on "brought", "people", "saws", "sharp", "iron", "instruments", and "axes". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "brought" and "people", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The prior verse says "Then he took the crown of their...", giving immediate footing for "brought" and "people". In 2 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "brought" and "people" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.