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Wars with the Philistines(A)

15 Again there was war between the Philistines and Israel. David and his ·men [servants] went out to fight the Philistines, ·but [and] David ·became tired [grew weary/exhausted]. 16 Ishbi-Benob, one of the ·sons of Rapha [or descendants of the giants], had a bronze ·spearhead [spear] weighing ·about seven and one-half pounds [L three hundred shekels] and [L was armed with] a new sword. He ·planned [was about] to kill David, 17 but Abishai son of Zeruiah ·killed the Philistine and saved David’s life [L came to help him and struck down the Philistine].

Then David’s men ·made a promise [swore; vowed] to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle. ·If you were killed, Israel would lose its greatest leader [L …so that you do not extinguish the lamp/light of Israel].”

18 Later, at Gob, there was another battle with the Philistines. Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, another ·one of the sons of Rapha [or descendant of the giants].

19 Later, there was another battle at Gob with the Philistines. Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim from Bethlehem killed Goliath from Gath [C see 1 Chr. 20:5 where he is called Lahmi, the brother of Goliath]. His spear was as large as a weaver’s ·rod [beam].

20 At Gath another battle took place. A huge man was there; he had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four fingers and toes in all. This man also was ·one of the sons of Rapha [or descended from the giants]. 21 When he ·challenged [defied; taunted] Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David’s brother, killed him.

22 These four ·sons of Rapha [or descendants of giants] from Gath were killed by David and his ·men [L servants].

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15 Now the Philistines were at war again with Israel. David went down with his servants, and as they fought against the Philistines, David became weary. 16 Then Ishbi-benob, who was among the descendants of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels (six pounds) of bronze, was armed with a new sword, and he intended to kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to David’s aid, and struck and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men swore to him, “You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish the lamp of Israel.”

18 After this, there was war again with the Philistines at Gob (Gezer). At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph (Sippai), who was among the descendants of the giant. 19 There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, killed Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam. 20 There was war at Gath again, where there was a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; he also was a descendant of the giants. 21 And when he taunted and defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, killed him. 22 These four [warriors] were descended from the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hands of David and his servants.

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