1 Chronicles 20

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) · English

1 In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war, Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the Ammonites. He came to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. And Joab attacked Rabbah and demolished it. 2 Then David took the crown from the head of their king. It was found to weigh a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city. 3 David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. And he did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem. 4 Some time later, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, a descendant of the Rephaim, and the Philistines were subdued. 5 Once again there was a battle with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 6 And there was still another battle at Gath, where there was a man of great stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He too was descended from Rapha, 7 and when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of David’s brother Shimei killed him. 8 So these descendants of Rapha in Gath fell at the hands of David and his servants.

Commentary — not Bible text

1 Chronicles 20:1

Introduction

Joab smites the city of Rabbah; and David puts the crown of its king upon his own head, and treats the people of the city with great rigour, 1Chr 20:1-3. First battle with the Philistines, 1Chr 20:4. Second battle with the Philistines, 1Chr 20:5. Third battle with the Philistines, 1Chr 20:6, 1Chr 20:7. In these battles three giants are slain, 1Chr 20:8.

Verse 1

After the year was expired, at the time that kings go out to battle - About the spring of the year; see the note on 2Sam 11:1.

After this verse the parallel place in Samuel relates the whole story of David and Bath-sheba, and the murder of Uriah, which the compiler of these books passes over as he designedly does almost every thing prejudicial to the character of David. All he states is, but David tarried at Jerusalem; and, while he thus tarried, and Joab conducted the war against the Ammonites, the awful transactions above referred to took place.

1 Chronicles 20:2

Verse 2

David took the crown of their king - off his head - See 2Sam 12:30.

Precious stones in it - The Targum says, "And there was set in it a precious stone, worth a talent of gold; this was that magnetic stone that supported the woven gold in the air." What does he mean?

1 Chronicles 20:3-4

Verse 3

He brought out the people - See this transaction particularly explained in the notes on the parallel places, 2Sam 12:30-31 (note).

1 Chronicles 20:5

Verse 5

Elhanan the son of Jair - See the note on 2Sam 21:19. The Targum says, "David, the son of Jesse, a pious man, who rose at midnight to sing praises to God, slew Lachmi, the brother of Goliath, the same day on which he slew Goliath the Gittite, whose spear-staff was like a weaver's beam."

1 Chronicles 20:6-7

Verse 6

Fingers and toes were four and twenty - See the note on 2Sam 21:20.

1 Chronicles 20:8

Verse 8

These were born unto the giant in Gath - "These were born להרפא leharapha, to that Rapha in Gath, or to Arapha." So the Vulgate, Septuagint, and Chaldee.

The compiler of these books passes by also the incest of Amnon with his sister Tamar, and the rebellion of Absalom, and the awful consequences of all these. These should have preceded the fourth verse. These facts could not be unknown to him, for they were notorious to all; but he saw that they were already amply detailed in books which were accredited among the people, and the relations were such as no friend to piety and humanity could delight to repeat. On these grounds the reader will give him credit for the omission. See on 1Chr 20:1 (note).

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