Chapter 20

War with Philistine Giants

1 aThen it happened 1in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the sons of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem. And bJoab struck Rabbah and overthrew it.

2 aDavid took the crown of 1their king from his head, and he found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there was a precious stone in it; and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount.

3 He brought out the people who were in it, aand cut them with saws and with sharp instruments and with axes. And thus David did to all the cities of the sons of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

4 aNow it came about after this, that war 1broke out at 2Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite 3killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the 4giants, and they were subdued.

5 And there was war with the Philistines again, and Elhanan the son of aJair 1killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the bshaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

6 Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot; and he also was descended from the giants.

7 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, 1killed him.

8 These were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.