A spring morning in the hills of Ammon: green young barley and red anemones line an empty dirt road winding east toward a far, hazy citadel hill, under a calm, clear, pale sky.

The Book of

1 Chronicles 20

The long war with Ammon ends with a crown of gold, and three giants of Gath fall to David’s servants.

8 verses≈ 3 min4 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–9GenealogiesAll Israel, from Adam
10Saul fallsThe kingdom turned to David
11–12David kingAll Israel gathers
13–16The arkBrought home with songs
17The covenantA house forever
18–20David's warsThe LORD gave victoryChapter 20
21The siteOrnan's threshing floor
22–27Preparing the templePriests, Levites and singers
28–29David's farewellBe strong, and do the work

The Capture of Rabbah

Early spring morning on a road east of the Jordan: Joab walks at the head of a long column of Israel's fighting men, spears on their shoulders, between green barley fields toward low brown hills, golden dust in the low sun.

In the spring, at the time when kings march out to war, Joab led out the army and ravaged the land of the Ammonites.

0:13

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

He came to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. And Joab attacked Rabbah and demolished it.

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1 Chronicles 20:2

A massive crown of beaten gold set with large precious stones rests on a dark wool cloth on a wooden table in a tent of Israel's camp, beside heaped plunder of bronze bowls, rolled cloth and jars.

It was found to weigh a talent 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.

David brought out the people who were there and put them to work 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.

Reflect

The part left out

Chronicles moves from “David remained in Jerusalem” straight to the crown of Rabbah. 2 Samuel tells what happened in between, and God’s people had both books. How does it help you to know the whole story of someone God used, failures and all? Write down what it tells you about the grace God shows you.

Battles against the Philistines

Early morning where the low hills meet the coastal plain: Gezer, a walled town on its long mound above wheat fields and olive groves; far off on the plain a small Philistine camp, and on the near slope a line of David's men waiting, seen from behind.

Some time later, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, a descendant of the Rephaim, and the Philistines were subdued.

Once again there was a battle with the Philistines, and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

Late afternoon near Gath, seen from far below: on a bare ridge against the sky stands one enormous Philistine warrior with a huge round shield and a towering spear, an arm raised in a taunt; Philistine soldiers stand back behind him, and small in the foreground a line of Israelite fighting men looks up.

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

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

Question

Quick question

Three giants of Gath fall in this chapter, and none of them to David himself.

Who killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath?

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1 Chronicles 20

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A verse to carry with you

Then David took the crown from the head of their king.

1 Chronicles 20:2

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