1 Chronicles 20: Rabbah falls, and the sons of the giant are struck down
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What happens?
At the time when kings go out, Joab leads the army against the sons of Ammon, besieges Rabbah and overthrows it, while David stays in Jerusalem. David takes the crown of their king and a great deal of plunder, and the people of the city are brought out and cut with saws, iron picks and axes (see the note). Then come wars with the Philistines, in which Sibbecai, Elhanan and Jonathan the son of Shimea strike down men born to the giant, among them one with twenty-four fingers and toes.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words of his own in this chapter, and nobody in it is quoted speaking. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1At the time of the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, Joab led out the army and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. Joab struck Rabbah, and overthrew it.
In plain English: At the time of the return of the year, the time when kings go out, Joab led out the army and wasted the land of the sons of Ammon. He came and besieged Rabbah, but David stayed in Jerusalem. Joab struck Rabbah and overthrew it.
Good to know: opens with the same words, "At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out", and then goes on to tell what happened in Jerusalem while Joab besieged Rabbah. This chapter does not tell it.
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2David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it. It was set on David’s head, and he brought very much plunder out of the city.
In plain English: David took the crown of their king from his head. He found that it weighed a talent of gold, and there was a precious stone (or: precious stones) in it. It was put on David's head, and he brought a great deal of plunder out of the city.
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3He brought out the people who were in it, and had them cut with saws, with iron picks, and with axes. David did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
In plain English: He brought out the people who were in it and cut them with saws, with iron picks and with axes (see the note). David did this to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
The Hebrew word: "Cut" is the Hebrew word the dictionary gives as "to saw". It is used in this verse only.
Good to know: has a different word here, and this Bible gives it as "put them to work under saws, under iron picks, under axes of iron, and made them go to the brick kiln". The two verses are set side by side here, and the text does not explain the difference.
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4After this, war arose at Gezer with the Philistines. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, of the sons of the giant; and they were subdued.
In plain English: After this, war arose at Gezer with the Philistines. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the sons of the giant, and they were subdued.
The Hebrew word: "The giant" is rapha, which the dictionary gives as "a giant". In this verse the Hebrew is written harephaim, and in verses 6 and 8 harapha. In the 24 verses of the Bible that use the word, this Bible uses a form of "giant" in 7 and "Rephaim" in 17.
Good to know: tells it with the war "at Gob" and the giant's name "Saph". This verse has "Gezer" and "Sippai".
5Again there was war with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
In plain English: There was war with the Philistines again. Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite. The wood (this Bible: staff) of his spear was like a weaver's beam.
Good to know: says "Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite's brother", at Gob. This verse has "Elhanan the son of Jair" and "Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite". The text does not explain the difference. In David strikes down and kills the Philistine of that chapter, who is named Goliath of Gath in .
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6There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six on each hand and six on each foot; and he also was born to the giant.
In plain English: There was war again at Gath. There was a man of great height there, and his fingers and toes were twenty-four, six on each hand and six on each foot. He too was born to the giant.
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7When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.
In plain English: He taunted (this Bible: defied) Israel, and Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, struck him down.
Good to know: has "Jonathan the son of Shimei". This verse has "Shimea".
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8These were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
In plain English: These were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
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