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1 Chronicles

Chapter 20

The Capture of Rabbah and Battles against the Philistines

1 Chronicles 20 records the fall of Rabbah and then turns to a set of later victories over Philistine giants. David receives the crown and spoil of the Ammonite city, while his men defeat formidable enemies at Gezer and Gath until these threats are brought down.

After the disorder surrounding David’s sin and its consequences, this chapter resumes the record of royal victories. It gathers military notices that show David’s kingdom prevailing over old enemies through both the king and the servants around him.

2 sections·253 words·~1 min read

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1 Chronicles 20

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vv. 1-3

The Capture of Rabbah

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I1n 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. 2Then 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. 3David 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.

vv. 4-8

Battles against the Philistines

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S4ome 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. 5Once 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.

6And there was also a 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, 7and when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of David’s brother Shimei killed him. 8So these descendants of Rapha in Gath fell at the hands of David and his servants.

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  1. 01vv. 1-3The Capture of RabbahJoab completes the campaign against Rabbah, and David enters to take the royal crown and the city’s rich plunder. The chapter closes the Ammonite war by showing the city broken and its people set to labor under David’s rule.
  2. 02vv. 4-8Battles against the PhilistinesA series of battles with the Philistines follows, each ending with another giant descendant falling to David’s warriors. The repeated notices show these old threats steadily reduced until they are subdued at the hands of David and his servants.
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