Defeat of the Philistines and Their Champions
1 Chronicles 20:4-8
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1 C.20.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- אחריכן: PREP,3,m,pl
- ותעמד: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- מלחמה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בגזר: PREP
- עם: PREP
- פלשתים: NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- אז: ADV
- הכה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- סבכי: NOUN,m,pl,const
- החשתי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- ספי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מילדי: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,cons
- הרפאים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- ויכנעו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- 2 Samuel 21:18 (verbal): Direct parallel narrative: both report Sibbecai (Sibbechai) the Hushathite striking down Sippai (a descendant of the Rephaim/giants). Chronicles gives Gezer as the site while 2 Samuel names Gob — a location/textual variant.
- 2 Samuel 21:20–22 (verbal): Continuation of the same cycle of combats with the Philistines and the killing of 'giants' (Ishbi‑benob, Lahmi, etc.); parallels Chronicles’ broader list of David’s men who smote members of the giant clans.
- 1 Samuel 17:4–58 (thematic): The David–Goliath episode: thematic parallel in the conflict with Philistines and the motif of Israelite warriors overcoming Philistine giants (Rephaim/Goliath tradition).
- Deuteronomy 2:10–11 (thematic): Background on the Rephaim/giants motif: Deuteronomy’s reference to former 'giants' (Rephaim) provides the wider Israelite tradition that frames the Chronicles/Samuel accounts of slaying 'children of the giant(s).'
Alternative generated candidates
- And it came to pass afterward, and there was war at Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck Sippai of the sons of the Rephaim, and they were subdued.
- And it came to pass afterward that there was war at Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck Sippai of the sons of the Rephaim, and they were subdued.
1 C.20.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ותהי: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- עוד: ADV
- מלחמה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- פלשתים: NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- ויך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- אלחנן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יעיר: VERB,hiph,impf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- לחמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1s
- אחי: NOUN,m,pl,suff
- גלית: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הגתי: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ועץ: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חניתו: NOUN,f,sg,suff-3ms
- כמנור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ארגים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- 2 Sam.21:18-19 (verbal): Direct parallel in the Samuel narrative: both report Elhanan slaying a Philistine associated with Goliath. The Masoretic Samuel text reads Elhanan killed 'Goliath the Gittite,' a textual difficulty that Chronicles resolves by naming 'Lahmi, brother of Goliath.'
- 2 Sam.21:15-22 (structural): Broader unit in Samuel recounting a series of battles with the Philistines and the giant‑slaying exploits of David’s men; Chronicles 20 repeats and reshapes this material.
- 1 Sam.17:4,7 (verbal): The original Goliath episode: introduces Goliath the Gittite and gives the striking image of his spear/staff 'like a weaver's beam,' language echoed in 1 Chron 20:5.
- 1 Chr.20:4 (thematic): Immediate parallel within Chronicles: the surrounding verses recount multiple Philistine encounters and the deaths of giant warriors, placing Elhanan’s deed in the same editorial context of David’s campaigns against giants.
Alternative generated candidates
- And there was yet another battle with the Philistines; and Elhanan son of Jair struck down Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite; and the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.
- And there was again war with the Philistines; and Elhanan son of Jair struck Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite, and the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.
1 C.20.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ותהי: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- עוד: ADV
- מלחמה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בגת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מדה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ואצבעתיו: CONJ+NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- שש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ושש: CONJ+NUM,card,m,sg
- עשרים: NUM,card,pl
- וארבע: CONJ,NUM,card,f,sg
- וגם: CONJ
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
- נולד: VERB,nifal,perf,3,m,sg
- להרפא: VERB,qal,inf
Parallels
- 2 Samuel 21:20 (verbal): Direct parallel — same report of a man of Gath with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot (twenty‑four in all), described as born to the giants.
- 2 Samuel 21:15-22 (structural): Parallel narrative — the larger episode in Samuel listing David’s battles with Philistine giants (including the Gath episodes) that corresponds to 1 Chronicles 20:1–8.
- 1 Samuel 17:4-11, 17:32-54 (thematic): Thematic parallel — Goliath (a Philistine giant from Gath) and David’s combat with him; shared motif of Philistine giants from Gath opposed to Israel.
- Numbers 13:33 (allusion): Background parallel — the spies’ report of the Nephilim/giants provides the broader biblical context for traditions about unusually large people (the Rephaim/giants) mentioned in Chronicles.
- Deuteronomy 3:11 (thematic): Thematic/background — Og king of Bashan’s enormous bed (nine cubits) serves as ancient evidence of giants (Rephaim), a tradition related to the giants mentioned in Chronicles.
Alternative generated candidates
- And there was yet another battle at Gath: there was a man of great stature, whose fingers were six on each hand, twenty‑four in all; and he too was born to the Rephaim.
- And there was yet another battle at Gath; and there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six on each foot—twenty-four in all—and he too was descended from the Rephaim.
1 C.20.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויחרף: VERB,qal,impf,wayy,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויכהו: CONJ+VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg+PRON,3,m,sg
- יהונתן: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שמעא: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אחי: NOUN,m,pl,suff
- דויד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 2 Sam.21.22 (verbal): Direct verbal parallel — the same report that Jonathan (son of Shimea/Shimei), David’s brother, struck/slain the giant who defied Israel.
- 2 Sam.21.20-21 (structural): Same episode immediately preceding the slaying: description of the giant (six fingers and toes) in Gath and the context for Jonathan’s action; Chronicles and Samuel recount the same incident with close correspondence.
- 2 Sam.21.15-22 (structural): Broader Samuel passage that parallels 1 Chronicles 20 as a whole — a sequence of battles with Philistines and the exploits of David’s warriors (including the killing of giants), providing full context for v.7.
- 1 Sam.17.1-54 (thematic): Thematic parallel: the motif of Israel (and David/the Davidic circle) overcoming Philistine giants (e.g., Goliath) — cf. heroic deliverance from giant foes and David’s leadership in such victories.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he defied Israel, and Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, struck him down.
- And he mocked Israel; and Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, struck him down.
1 C.20.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אל: NEG
- נולדו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- להרפא: VERB,qal,inf
- בגת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
- ויפלו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- ביד: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- דויד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וביד: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- עבדיו: NOUN,m,pl,abs+3ms
Parallels
- 2 Sam.21:15-22 (structural): Parallel narrative of David's combats with Philistine giants (including encounters at Gath and the valley of the Rephaim); the Chronicler compresses and echoes the same series of episodes.
- 2 Sam.21:18-22 (verbal): Close verbal parallels about battles with the sons of Rapha/Gath and their falling by David and his servants — same locations and outcome as 1 Chr 20:8.
- 2 Sam.21:19 (verbal): Related verse with a notable textual variation: 2 Sam attributes Elhanan's slaying of a giant to Goliath, whereas 1 Chr (and the MT elsewhere) clarifies the victim as Lahmi, brother of Goliath; shows the same tradition of Philistine giants defeated by David's allies.
- 1 Sam.17:4-54 (thematic): The episode of David and Goliath provides the foundational theme of David defeating Philistine giants; 1 Chr 20:8 participates in this broader tradition of Davidic triumphs over 'giants'.
Alternative generated candidates
- These born to the Rephaim in Gath fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
- These were born to the Rephaim in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
And it came to pass afterward that there was war at Gezer with the Philistines; then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck Sippai of the sons of the Rephaim, and they were subdued. And there was yet another battle with the Philistines; Elhanan son of Jair struck Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite, and the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam. And there was yet another battle at Gath; and there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty and four in all—and he too was born to the Rephaim.
He taunted Israel, and Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, struck him down.
These also were born to the Rephaim in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.