# 1 Chronicles 20 📖: Rabbah Captured and Giants Defeated [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-1 Chronicles Overview]] | [[1 Chronicles 19]] | [[1 Chronicles 21]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) [[#Verse 01.]] In the spring, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, Joab led the army into battle and devastated the land of the Ammonites. He went and besieged Rabbah, while David stayed in Jerusalem. Joab defeated Rabbah and tore it down.  [[#Verse 02.]] David took the crown from the head of their king and wore it (its weight was a talent of gold and it was set with precious stones). He took a large amount of plunder from the city.  [[#Verse 03.]] He removed the city’s residents and made them labor with saws, iron picks, and axes. This was his policy with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem. ## Battles with the Philistines [[#Verse 04.]] Later there was a battle with the Philistines in Gezer. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaim, and the Philistines were subdued. [[#Verse 05.]] There was another battle with the Philistines in which Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear had a shaft as big as the crossbeam of a weaver’s loom. [[#Verse 06.]] In a battle in Gath there was a large man who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all! He too was a descendant of Rapha.  [[#Verse 07.]] When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him. [[#Verse 08.]] These were the descendants of Rapha who lived in Gath; they were killed by the hand of David and his soldiers. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. Spring was the usual season for military campaigns, after the winter rains ended (20:1). 2. Chronicles notes that David stayed in Jerusalem (20:1) but leaves out the story of Bathsheba told in 2 Samuel 11 and 12. 3. Rabbah was the capital of Ammon. The modern city of Amman, Jordan, stands on the site. 4. The crown taken from Rabbah weighed a talent of gold, about 75 pounds (20:2). 5. The Hebrew for "their king" in 20:2 can also be read as Milcom, the name of the Ammonite god. 6. Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, a descendant of the giants (20:4). 7. Elhanan killed Lahmi, Goliath's brother (20:5). The parallel in 2 Samuel 21:19 reads differently, likely due to a copying difference. 8. Lahmi's spear shaft was like a weaver's beam (20:5), the same description given of Goliath's spear (1 Samuel 17:7). 9. One giant had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all (20:6). 10. Jonathan, the son of David's brother Shimea, killed him (20:7). ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the champion who defeats every enemy. David and his men brought down the last of the giants (20:8), and Jesus must reign until God has put all His enemies under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25). ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. Victory over the giants came over many years and many battles (20:4-8). How does a long struggle shape our faith? 2. David's men, not only David, fought these giants (20:4-7). What does that teach about sharing the work and the victory? 3. Chronicles mentions that David stayed in Jerusalem (20:1) but does not retell his sin with Bathsheba. Why might the author keep the focus on God's purposes through David? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 1: In the spring Joab leads the army against Ammon while David stays in Jerusalem. - 📖 verse 5: Elhanan kills Lahmi, the brother of Goliath. - 📖 verse 8: The descendants of the giants fall by the hand of David and his men. ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 [[2 Samuel 11#Verse 01.|2 Samuel 11:1]] - In the spring David stays in Jerusalem. - 🔗 [[2 Samuel 12#Verse 26.|2 Samuel 12:26-31]] - The capture of Rabbah. - 🔗 [[2 Samuel 21#Verse 15.|2 Samuel 21:15-22]] - The parallel account of the battles with the giants. - 🔗 [[1 Samuel 17#Verse 04.|1 Samuel 17:4-7]] - Goliath of Gath. - 🔗 [[1 Corinthians 15#Verse 25.|1 Corinthians 15:25]] - Christ reigns until all His enemies are under His feet. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[1 Chronicles 20 - SOAP|No Enemy Can Stand]] ## 📂 Internal Notes