5 And there was war H4421 again with the Philistines; H6430 and Elhanan H445 the son H1121 of Jair H3265 slew H5221 Lahmi H3902 the brother H251 of Goliath H1555 the Gittite, H1663 whose spear H2595 staff H6086 was like a weaver's H707 beam. H4500
And there was again a battle H4421 in Gob H1359 with the Philistines, H6430 where Elhanan H445 the son H1121 of Jaareoregim, H3296 a Bethlehemite, H1022 slew H5221 the brother of Goliath H1555 the Gittite, H1663 the staff H6086 of whose spear H2595 was like a weaver's H707 beam. H4500
And the priest H3548 said, H559 The sword H2719 of Goliath H1555 the Philistine, H6430 whom thou slewest H5221 in the valley H6010 of Elah, H425 behold, it is here wrapped H3874 in a cloth H8071 behind H310 the ephod: H646 if thou wilt take H3947 that, take H3947 it: for there is no other H312 save H2108 that here. H2088 And David H1732 said, H559 There is none like that; give H5414 it me.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 20
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
Here is a repetition of the story of David's wars,
1Ch 20:1-3
How the army of the Ammonites and their allies was routed in the field we read in the foregoing chapters. Here we have the destruction of Rabbah, the metropolis of their kingdom (v. 1), the putting of their king's crown upon David's head (v. 2), and the great severity that was used towards the people, v. 3. Of this we had a more full account in 2 Sa. 11, 12, and cannot but remember it by this sad token, that while Joab was besieging Rabbah David fell into that great sin in the matter of Uriah. But it is observable that, though the rest of the story is repeated, that is not: a hint only is given of it, in those words which lie here in a parenthesis-But David tarried at Jerusalem. If he had been abroad with his army, he would have been out of the way of that temptation; but, indulging his ease, he fell into uncleanness. Now, as the relating of the sin David fell into is an instance of the impartiality and fidelity of the sacred writers, so the avoiding of the repetition of it here, when there was a fair occasion given to speak of it again, is designed to teach us that, though there may be a just occasion to speak of the faults and miscarriages of others, yet we should not take delight in the repetition of them. That should always be looked upon as an unpleasing subject which, though sometimes one cannot help falling upon, yet one would not choose to dwell upon, any more than we should love to rake in a dunghill. The persons, or actions, we can say no good of, we had best say nothing of.
1Ch 20:4-8
The Philistines were nearly subdued (ch. 18:1); but, as in the destruction of the Canaanites by Joshua the sons of Anak were last subdued (Jos. 11:21), so here in the conquest of the Philistines the giants of Gath were last brought down. In the conflicts between grace and corruption there are some sins which, like these giants, keep their ground a great while and are not mastered without much difficulty and a long struggle: but judgment will be brought forth unto victory at last. Observe,