War with the Philistines

¹⁵ Once again war broke out between the Philistines and Israel. David and the soldiers who were with him went down and fought the Philistines. When David grew tired, ¹⁶ Ishbi-benob, a descendant of the Raphah,^[a] planned on killing David.^[b] The weight of his spear was three hundred shekels of bronze, and he was wearing new armor. ¹⁷ But Zeruiah’s son Abishai came to David’s aid, striking the Philistine down and killing him. Then David’s men swore a solemn pledge to him: “You will never march out to battle with us again! You must not snuff out Israel’s lamp!”

¹⁸ Some time later, another battle with the Philistines took place at Gob. Then Sibbecai from Hushah killed Saph, a descendant of the Raphah. ¹⁹ There was yet another battle with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan, Jair’s son^[c] from Bethlehem, killed Goliath from Gath, whose spear shaft was as strong as the bar on a weaver’s loom. ²⁰ In another battle at Gath, there was a huge^[d] man who had six fingers on his hands and six toes on his feet, twenty-four in all. He too was descended from the Raphah. ²¹ When he insulted Israel, Jonathan, who was the son of David’s brother Shimei, killed him. ²² These four Philistines were descended from the Raphah in Gath, and they fell by the hands of David and his servants.