1 Chronicles 20 Study Notes: Rabbah Captured and the Giants Fall
Joab captures the Ammonite city of Rabbah, and David takes their king’s crown and puts the people to forced labor. In battles with the Philistines, David’s men kill several huge warriors descended from Rapha, including Goliath’s brother.
General
True or False: After Rabbah fell, David set the people of Rabbah and the other Ammonite cities to forced labor with cutting and digging tools (1 Chronicles 20:3).
Answer: True
This is true. David led out the people of Rabbah and set them to labor with tools such as saws, picks, and axes. He treated every Ammonite city likewise; then he and his army went home to Jerusalem (20:3). Israel had done this before: as Israel grew stronger, it made the Canaanites serve as laborers (Judges 1:28), and Solomon later conscripted the remaining non-Israelite peoples in the land as laborers (1 Kings 9:20-21). The war that began with Hanun’s insult ended with the Ammonites serving Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 20:3 (BSB)“David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. And he did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.”David puts the Ammonites to work and then returns to Jerusalem.
- Judges 1:28 (BSB)“When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor, but they never drove them out completely.”As Israel grew stronger, it made the Canaanites serve as forced laborers.
- 1 Kings 9:20-21 (BSB)“As for all the people who remained of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (the people who were not Israelites)— their descendants who remained in the land, those whom the Israelites were unable to devote to destruction—Solomon conscripted these people to be forced laborers, as they are to this day.”Solomon conscripted the remaining non-Israelite peoples as forced laborers.
Theological
True or False: According to 20:3, the people of Rabbah and the other Ammonite cities were put to forced labor with cutting and digging tools.
Answer: True
This is true. The people of Rabbah, and of the other Ammonite cities in turn, were put to forced labor with saws, picks, and axes, after which David and the army returned to Jerusalem (20:3). Subjecting conquered peoples to labor service appears earlier, when a stronger Israel made the Canaanites serve as laborers (Judges 1:28), and later under Solomon (1 Kings 9:20-21). Ammon, which had answered kindness with contempt, ends as Israel’s servant.
- 1 Chronicles 20:3 (BSB)“David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes. And he did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.”David puts the Ammonites to work and then returns to Jerusalem.
- Judges 1:28 (BSB)“When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor, but they never drove them out completely.”As Israel grew stronger, it made the Canaanites serve as forced laborers.
- 1 Kings 9:20-21 (BSB)“As for all the people who remained of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (the people who were not Israelites)— their descendants who remained in the land, those whom the Israelites were unable to devote to destruction—Solomon conscripted these people to be forced laborers, as they are to this day.”Solomon conscripted the remaining non-Israelite peoples as forced laborers.
General
After Joab captured the Ammonite city of Rabbah, what did David receive (1 Chronicles 20:1-2)?
Answer: The Ammonite king’s jeweled gold crown and much plunder
In the spring Joab led the army against the Ammonites and besieged their city Rabbah, while David stayed in Jerusalem; Joab attacked the city and tore it down (20:1). David then took the Ammonite king’s heavy gold crown, studded with jewels, and it was set on David’s own head, and he carried off a large amount of plunder (20:2). The war that began when Hanun disgraced David’s messengers (19:4) ended with the Ammonite crown on David’s head. A psalm of David praises God for blessing the king and setting a gold crown on his head (Psalm 21:3).
- 1 Chronicles 20:1-2 (BSB)“In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war, Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the Ammonites. He came to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. And Joab attacked Rabbah and demolished it. Then David took the crown from the head of their king. It was found to weigh a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city.”Joab takes Rabbah, and the Ammonite king’s crown is placed on David’s head.
- 1 Chronicles 19:4 (BSB)“So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved their beards, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.”Hanun’s disgrace of David’s envoys began the war with Ammon.
- Psalm 21:3 (BSB)“For You welcomed him with rich blessings; You placed on his head a crown of pure gold.”The psalm praises God for setting a gold crown on the king’s head.
Theological
What did David gain from the fall of Rabbah (1 Chronicles 20:1-2)?
Answer: The Ammonite king’s jeweled gold crown and much plunder
Joab’s siege ends with Rabbah’s destruction (20:1), and the Ammonite king’s jeweled gold crown passes to David, together with great plunder (20:2). The conflict Hanun provoked by disgracing David’s envoys (19:4) closes with Ammon’s crown on David’s head. Psalm 21:3 praises God for crowning His king with gold and blessing.
- 1 Chronicles 20:1-2 (BSB)“In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war, Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the Ammonites. He came to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. And Joab attacked Rabbah and demolished it. Then David took the crown from the head of their king. It was found to weigh a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city.”Joab takes Rabbah, and the Ammonite king’s crown is placed on David’s head.
- 1 Chronicles 19:4 (BSB)“So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved their beards, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away.”Hanun’s disgrace of David’s envoys began the war with Ammon.
- Psalm 21:3 (BSB)“For You welcomed him with rich blessings; You placed on his head a crown of pure gold.”The psalm praises God for setting a gold crown on the king’s head.
General
What did the huge man at Gath do before David’s nephew Jonathan killed him (1 Chronicles 20:6-7)?
Answer: He mocked Israel, as Goliath had once done
At Gath lived a man of unusual size, with extra fingers and toes, who was also descended from Rapha. He mocked Israel, and Jonathan, Shimei’s son and David’s nephew, killed him (20:6-7). His taunting recalls Goliath, who defied Israel’s army and demanded a challenger (1 Samuel 17:10). David had answered Goliath that he came in the LORD’s name, the God whom the Philistine had defied (1 Samuel 17:45). Those who mock God’s people are defying the God of Israel, and once again the challenger fell.
- 1 Chronicles 20:6-7 (BSB)“And there was also a battle at Gath, where there was a man of great stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He too was descended from Rapha, and when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of David’s brother Shimei killed him.”A huge man of Rapha’s line taunts Israel and is killed by David’s nephew Jonathan.
- 1 Samuel 17:10 (BSB)“Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!””Goliath had likewise defied Israel’s army and demanded a challenger.
- 1 Samuel 17:45 (BSB)“But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”David says the Philistine’s defiance was against the LORD, the God of Israel’s armies.
Theological
What did the champion at Gath do before Jonathan struck him down (1 Chronicles 20:6-7)?
Answer: He mocked Israel, as Goliath had once done
The champion at Gath, also of Rapha’s line, taunts Israel and is struck down by Jonathan, David’s nephew (20:6-7). The episode echoes Goliath’s defiance of Israel’s army (1 Samuel 17:10) and David’s reply that he came in the LORD’s name against one who had defied the God of Israel’s armies (1 Samuel 17:45). To taunt God’s people is to defy God, and the outcome is the same.
- 1 Chronicles 20:6-7 (BSB)“And there was also a battle at Gath, where there was a man of great stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He too was descended from Rapha, and when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of David’s brother Shimei killed him.”A huge man of Rapha’s line taunts Israel and is killed by David’s nephew Jonathan.
- 1 Samuel 17:10 (BSB)“Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!””Goliath had likewise defied Israel’s army and demanded a challenger.
- 1 Samuel 17:45 (BSB)“But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”David says the Philistine’s defiance was against the LORD, the God of Israel’s armies.
General
How does the chapter sum up the battles with the Philistine warriors descended from Rapha (1 Chronicles 20:8)?
Answer: David and his men struck down every one of them
Three short battle reports describe powerful Philistine warriors descended from Rapha: Sibbecai killed Sippai, Elhanan killed Lahmi, Goliath’s brother, and David’s nephew Jonathan killed a huge warrior at Gath (20:4-7). The chapter concludes that these warriors fell to David and his men (20:8). The first report adds that the Philistines were brought under Israel (20:4), just as God had promised David that He would subdue all his enemies (17:10). As David told Goliath, the battle belongs to the LORD (1 Samuel 17:47).
- 1 Chronicles 20:8 (BSB)“So these descendants of Rapha in Gath fell at the hands of David and his servants.”The descendants of Rapha in Gath fall to David and his servants.
- 1 Chronicles 17:10 (BSB)“and have done since the day I appointed judges over My people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you.”God had promised David that He would subdue all his enemies.
- 1 Samuel 17:47 (BSB)“And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.””David told Goliath that the battle belongs to the LORD.
Theological
What is the summary verdict of 20:8 on the Philistine champions descended from Rapha?
Answer: David and his men struck down every one of them
The closing summary (20:8) gathers the three reports of 20:4-7: the Philistine champions descended from Rapha all fell to David and his men. The note that the Philistines were brought low (20:4) shows God keeping His pledge to subdue all David’s enemies (17:10), and, as David declared to Goliath, the battle belongs to the LORD (1 Samuel 17:47).
- 1 Chronicles 20:8 (BSB)“So these descendants of Rapha in Gath fell at the hands of David and his servants.”The descendants of Rapha in Gath fall to David and his servants.
- 1 Chronicles 17:10 (BSB)“and have done since the day I appointed judges over My people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you.”God had promised David that He would subdue all his enemies.
- 1 Samuel 17:47 (BSB)“And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.””David told Goliath that the battle belongs to the LORD.