Catholic Commentary on 1 Chronicles 20

"In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four digits in all. He also was descended from Rapha." (1 Chronicles 20:6)

The Capture of Rabbah and Battles with Giants

Chronicles records that in the spring, Joab attacks Rabbah of the Ammonites and captures it; David takes the crown. Chronicles conspicuously omits the Bathsheba episode from the parallel narrative in 2 Samuel 11-12, skipping from the war in chapter 19 to the capture of Rabbah in chapter 20. The Chronicler's purpose is theological rather than biographical: he is giving the restored community the model of the covenant king, not a comprehensive psychological portrait.

Three battles with giant Philistines are recorded: Sibbecai kills Sippai who was descended from the Rephaites; Elhanan kills Lahmi the brother of Goliath; Jonathan kills a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four digits in all. He also was descended from Rapha. The Catechism notes that Chronicles' theological selection of material is itself inspired: the Spirit guides the Chronicler to emphasise what the restored community needs to hear about God's covenant faithfulness (CCC 105).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Chronicles skips Bathsheba and David's sin, not to deny it happened, but because its purpose is different: to give a restored community the model of what God intends for the Davidic king. Scripture does not always repeat the same material for the same purpose. The same God who inspired Samuel's full account also inspired Chronicles' selective account. Both are true; both are useful; each for its purpose.

Prayer

Lord God, your word presents the same history from different angles for different purposes. Give us the wisdom to receive every angle, to let Samuel's honesty and Chronicles' hope both form us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

20
The Capture of Rabbah
(2 Samuel 12:26-31)
1 In the spring,* 20:1 Literally At the turn of the year 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.
 
2 Then David took the crown from the head of their king.† 20:2 Or from the head of Milcom. Milcom, also called Molech, was god of the Ammonites; see Leviticus 18:21 and 1 Kings 11:7. It was found to weigh a talent of gold ‡ 20:2 A talent is approximately 75.4 pounds or 34.2 kilograms 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.
 
3 David brought out the people who were there and put them to work § 20:3 Or cut them 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.
Battles against the Philistines
(2 Samuel 21:15-22)
 
4 Some time later, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai,* 20:4 Sippai is a variant of Saph; see 2 Samuel 21:18. a descendant of the Rephaim,† 20:4 Or the giants; see also descendants of Rapha in verses 6 and 8. and the Philistines were subdued.
 
5 Once again there was a battle with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother ‡ 20:5 Or Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother; see 2 Samuel 21:19. of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
 
6 And there was still another 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, 7 and when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of David’s brother Shimei killed him.
 
8 So these descendants of Rapha in Gath fell at the hands of David and his servants.

*20:1 20:1 Literally At the turn of the year

†20:2 20:2 Or from the head of Milcom. Milcom, also called Molech, was god of the Ammonites; see Leviticus 18:21 and 1 Kings 11:7.

‡20:2 20:2 A talent is approximately 75.4 pounds or 34.2 kilograms of gold.

§20:3 20:3 Or cut them

*20:4 20:4 Sippai is a variant of Saph; see 2 Samuel 21:18.

†20:4 20:4 Or the giants; see also descendants of Rapha in verses 6 and 8.

‡20:5 20:5 Or Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother; see 2 Samuel 21:19.

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