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Battles with the Philistines Recounted

15 There was war again for the Philistines with Israel, and David and his servants with him went down, and they fought the Philistines, and David grew weary. 16 Now Yishbi in Nob, who was among the descendents of Raphah[a] (now the weight of his spearhead was three hundredweight of bronze, and he was newly armed), said that he would kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and he attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall not go out with us any longer to the battle, so that you do not quench the lamp of Israel.”

18 It happened afterward that there was again battle at Gob with the Philistines. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph who was among the descendants of the Raphah.

19 There was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. And Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim, the Bethlehemite, killed Goliath[b] the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like the beam of a weaver.

20 Once again there was battle at Gath, and there was a man of great size.[c] The fingers of his hand and the toes of his feet were six and six, twenty-four in number. He was also born to the Raphah. 21 He taunted Israel but Jonathan the son of Shimei, the brother of David, killed him. 22 These four were born for the Raphah in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 21:16 The descendants of Raphah (i.e., the Rephaim) were thought to be giants
  2. 2 Samuel 21:19 In view of the account of David and Goliath in 1 Sam 17, it is likely that Elhanan actually killed the brother of Goliath, Lahmi, in 1 Chr 20:5
  3. 2 Samuel 21:20 Literally “a man of measurement”

15 Now when (A)the Philistines were at war with Israel again, David went down, and his servants with him; and when they fought against the Philistines, David became weary. 16 Then Ishbi-benob, who was (B)among the descendants of the [a]giant, the weight of whose spear was [b]three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, [c]had strapped on a new sword, and he [d]intended to kill David. 17 But (C)Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “(D)You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish (E)the lamp of Israel.”

18 (F)Now it came about after this that there was war again with the Philistines at Gob; then (G)Sibbecai the Hushathite struck and killed Saph, who was among the descendants of the [e]giant. 19 And there was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite [f]killed [g]Goliath the Gittite, (H)the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20 And 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; and he also had been born (I)to the [h]giant. 21 When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, struck and killed him. 22 (J)These four were born to the [i]giant at Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 21:16 Heb Raphah
  2. 2 Samuel 21:16 About 9 lb. or 4 kg
  3. 2 Samuel 21:16 Lit and he had strapped
  4. 2 Samuel 21:16 Lit said
  5. 2 Samuel 21:18 Heb Raphah
  6. 2 Samuel 21:19 Lit struck
  7. 2 Samuel 21:19 In 1 Chr 20:5, Lahmi, the brother of Goliath
  8. 2 Samuel 21:20 Heb Raphah
  9. 2 Samuel 21:22 Heb Raphah