I
C H R O N I C L E S
CHAP. XX.
Here is a repetition of
the story of David's wars, I. With the Ammonites, and the taking of Rabbah,
ver. 1-3. II. With the giants of the Philistines, ver. 4-8.
| The Defeat of the
Ammonites. |
B. C.
1306. |
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1 And it came to pass, that after the year was
expired, at the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the
power of the army, and wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came
and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed
it. 2 And David took the crown of their king from off his head,
and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones
in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought also exceeding much
spoil out of the city. 3 And he brought out the people that were
in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes.
Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David
and all the people returned to
Jerusalem.
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 Sam. xi.,
xii., 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.
4 And it came to pass after this, that there
arose war at Gezer
with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai
the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and
they were subdued. 5 And there was war again with the Philistines;
and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite,
whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam. 6 And yet again
there was war at
Gath, where was a man of great stature,
whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand,
and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant.
7 But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother
slew him. 8 These were born unto the giant in
Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by
the hand of his servants.
The Philistines were nearly subdued (ch. xviii. 1); but, as in the
destruction of the Canaanites by Joshua the sons of Anak were last subdued
(Josh. xi. 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, 1. We never read of
giants among the Israelites as we do of the giants among the
Philistines-giants of Gath, but not giants of Jerusalem. The growth of God's plants is in usefulness, not in bulk. Those who covet to
have cubits added to their stature do not consider that it will but
make then more unwieldy. In the balance of the sanctuary David far outweighs
Goliath. 2. The servants of David, though men of ordinary stature, were too
hard for the giants of Gath in every encounter, because they had God on their
side, who takes pleasure in abasing lofty looks, and mortifying the giants
that are in the earth, as he did of old by the deluge, though they were men of
renown. Never let the church's friends be disheartened by the power and pride
of the church's enemies. We need not fear great men against us while we have
the great God for us. What will a finger more on each hand do, or a toe more
on each foot, in contest with Omnipotence? 3. These giants defied
Israel
(v. 7) and were thus made to pay for their insolence. None are more
visibly marked for ruin that those who reproach God and his
Israel. God will do great things rather than suffer the enemy to behave
themselves proudly, Deut. xxxii. 27. The victories of the Son of David,
like those of David himself, are gradual. We see not yet all things put
under him; but it will be seen shortly: and death itself, the last enemy,
like these giants, will be triumphed over.
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