Contributors
1 Chronicles Chapter 20 Explanation and Bible Study in Detials
1 Chronicles Chapter 20 Explanation and Bible Study in Detials
Introduction
1 Chronicles 20 is a continuation of the events of chapter 19, telling of David’s victories against the Ammonites and Philistines. It is significant that the Chronicler does not record the sin of David and Bathsheba, which is recorded in 2 Samuel 11, but rather the successes of David’s military campaigns as God blessed His people.
1 Chronicles 20:1 – The siege of Rabbah
“In the spring, at the time of kings, Joab led out the forces of Israel and ravaged the land of the Ammonites. He went to besiege Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins.” (1 Chronicles 20:1)
The first verse sets the scene of the conflict. It was in spring, the traditional time of war, as it was a good time to move around due to the warmer weather and an abundance of food. The Ammonites had previously insulted David (1 Chronicles 19), and so Joab, the commander of David’s army, led the attack on their capital, Rabbah (modern-day Amman, Jordan).
It is also notable that David remained in Jerusalem. This may be a reference to the incident with Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Samuel 11), which the Chronicler has chosen not to record. The Chronicler focuses on David’s successes and God’s faithfulness to him and his people.
1 Chronicles 20:2-3 – The victory over Rabbah
“David took the crown from the head of their king, and it was found to be a talent of gold, set with precious stones. He put it on his own head and carried off a large amount of plunder from the city. He carried out the men of the city to the edge of the city and cut them down with saws, iron picks and axes. Thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites, and he and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.” (1 Chronicles 20:2-3)
Verse 2 foreshadows the events of chapter 17, when David will secure the area, taking the crown of the Ammonites. The weight of the crown implies that it was made of about seventy-five pounds of gold, which suggests that it was more of a treasure than something for David to wear.
David also took a lot of the plunder from the city as God had provided for his people. They carried out the men of the city by making them slaves with saws, iron picks, and axes. It can be argued that this meant that they were put to death, but it is similar to what happened with the nations that God told Israel to conquer (Joshua 6:27).
The next verses continue with the Ammonites, but they then move onto the Philistines. The chapter seems to be a summary of David’s wars with the Philistines.
1 Chronicles 20:4-8 – The battles against the Philistines
The last verses of the chapter tell of the battles against the Philistines, particularly their giants who descended from Rapha (a race of giants). Verses 4-8 are a continuation of the events of chapter 18 when Israel fought the Philistines.
1 Chronicles 20:4 – The battle of Sibbekai
“In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites, and the Philistines were subdued.” (1 Chronicles 20:4)
Sibbekai was one of David’s mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:29) and killed one of the giants of the Philistines. This battle occurred at Gezer, which had previously been a site of fighting.
The Rephaites (also known as Rapha) were giants and their defeat signified that the Lord had blessed Israel with a great victory over their enemies. Their physical strength and stature were much greater than any of Israel’s soldiers, but God gave them the victory.
1 Chronicles 20:5 – The battle of Elhanan
“In another battle with the Philistines Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod.” (1 Chronicles 20:5)
Elhanan was the second of David’s mighty men who killed an enemy giant (1 Chronicles 11:30). It is interesting to note that Goliath’s spear shaft is compared to a weaver’s rod, which is the same description used in 1 Samuel 17:7 about his entire person.
There is some debate over this verse since it also appears in 2 Samuel 21:19, where it appears to say that Elhanan killed Goliath, but it is agreed among scholars that it should read that Elhanan killed Goliath’s brother. Elhanan and his men were likely given this task by David to ensure the Philistines would not be so bold in the future.
1 Chronicles 20:6-7 – The battle of the six-fingered giant
“In still another battle at Gath there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.” (1 Chronicles 20:6-7)
This Philistine giant was unusually tall with twenty-four fingers and toes. This genetic abnormality was perhaps what made him so feared by the Israelites. Jonathan, the son of Shimea (and thus David’s nephew), killed this giant, and it shows that the victories over the Philistines’ giants were not limited to David.
The six-fingered giant, like Goliath, was taunting the Israelites, which led to Jonathan killing him. The defeat of Goliath and the other giants signified that the power of Israel was not in its men, but rather in the Lord.
1 Chronicles 20:8 – Conclusion
“These were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.” (1 Chronicles 20:8)
The last verse is a conclusion to the events of the chapter, telling that David and his men had great victories over the Philistines. The Chronicler seems to be saying that under David’s leadership, Israel was blessed greatly by the Lord.
Themes and Theological Insights
Victory from God
It is clear that the author believes the victories that David and his men received were from God. God blessed His people, giving them victories over some of the tallest and strongest men on earth.
David’s success as a leader
The Chronicler only records the successes of David’s reign as a way to show readers that he was a good leader who followed God. The Chronicler leaves out any mention of David’s failures in order to remind the people that they should follow him as their king.
God’s power to overcome great odds
The Chronicler wants to show the power that God has in overcoming great odds, even when the enemies are much stronger and taller than Israel’s soldiers. The victories over the Philistines’ giants showed that even the mightiest of enemies could be overcome by following and obeying God.
God’s blessings to his people
When God blesses his people with leaders like David, they receive so much more than they expect. David was blessed by the Lord, and his leadership inspired his men to follow him and obey his commands.
Conclusion
1 Chronicles 20 is a brief but powerful chapter that tells of David’s victories over the Ammonites and Philistines. It shows that even though David experienced failure, he and his men experienced much success in their battles against their enemies. The Chronicler records these events to remind the people that God has blessed Israel and that they should continue to follow their king, David.
The author records these events to encourage the people that they too will experience success under God’s guidance if they continue to obey his commands. It is a reminder that God has been faithful to his people throughout their history and that they should continue to trust in his power and provision.
