Four Battles against the Philistines

(1 Chronicles 20:4–8)

Once again the Philistines waged war against Israel, and David and his servants went down and fought against the Philistines. But David became exhausted.

16 

vvv Then Ishbi-benob, a descendant of Rapha,[fn] whose bronze spear weighed three hundred [shekels][fn] and who was bearing a new [sword], resolved to kill David. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid struck the Philistine, and killed him.

Then David’s men swore to him,“You must never again go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel may not be extinguished.”

18 

Some time later at Gob, there was another battle with the Philistines. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph,[fn] a descendant of Rapha.

19 

Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son vvv of Jair[fn] vvv the Bethlehemite killed [the brother of] Goliath[fn] the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

20 

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, 21 and when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of David’s brother Shimei[fn] killed him.

22 

So these four descendants of Rapha in Gath fell at the hands of David and his servants. 22