A Giant Enemy Killed

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

A Giant Enemy Killed

Date: Sep. 12, 2025

Passage

1 Chronicles 20:1-8 (ESV)

1 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army and ravaged the country of the Ammonites and came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. And Joab struck down Rabbah and overthrew it. 2 And David took the crown of their king from his head. He found that it weighed a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone. And it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 3 And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and axes. And thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

4 And after this there arose war with the Philistines at Gezer. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Sippai, who was one of the descendants of the giants, and the Philistines were subdued. 5 And there was again war with the Philistines, and Elhanan the son of Jair struck down Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 6 And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. 7 And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, struck him down. 8 These were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 20:7

And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, struck him down.

In those days, spring was when kings went to war. It was also a time of good weather and many crops after the spring harvest, a season to relax. So, Joab, David’s chief general, led the armed forces and laid waste the land of the Ammonites, who became Israel’s enemies in the previous chapter (1). But David remained in Jerusalem.

In 19:1-20:3, the Chronicler, the author of this book, follows 2 Sam 10-12 closely but omits the account of David’s sin with Bathsheba (11:2-12:25). His intention was not to embellish the king because he did not omit a different sin in the next chapter. Rather, the focus of the account was David’s victories given by God in spite of himself.

Verse 1 says “David remained in Jerusalem,” but immediately afterward in verse 2, it says, “David took the crown from the head of their king.” The author omits the events in between, which must have been well known to the readers (cf. 2 Sam 12:26-29). Despite not fighting in battle, David not only took the crown of the enemy king (2,3) but also had another giant enemy killed by his nephew, which was reminiscent of his killing of Goliath (6,7). His enemies “fell at the hands of David and his men” (8b). God gave David many victories.

Prayer: Father, thank you for victories you give me in spite of my weakness and shortcomings. Your name be praised! Amen.

One Word: “Victory in Jesus”

Detailed Plans for the Temple

1 Chronicles 28:11-21

Key Verse: 28:20

Today's Question

How is Christ a king?

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