In 1 Chronicles Chapter 20, it is springtime during the reign of King David. This is the time when the kings typically go to war. Joab is still one of David’s most trusted captains, though David will have difficulties with him later on. But now Joab musters David’s forces and leads them out to war.

Israel Attacks the Ammonites

The army of Israel attacks the Ammonite lands and then besieges Rabbah, though David stays behind in Jerusalem. Rabbah is the capitol city of the Ammonites. Joab reduces Rabbah to ruins and David takes the crown from the king. It is made from gold and decorated with gems. It is then put onto David’s head and becomes his crown.

David plunders Rabbah and takes much treasure from the city. He also puts the people to hard manual labor with picks, axes, and saws as he does to all the population of the captured Ammonite cities. After the conquest, David and his army go back to Jerusalem.

Another War with the Philistines

Once again, the Israelites go to war with the Philistines. This time the first battle is at Gezer. A Hushathite called Sibbekai killed Sippai, who was the champion for the Philistines and descended from Rephaites, who were a race of giants in the earth. The Philistines are beaten, though they return for another battle.

The Philistines are beaten again when Lahmi is killed. Lahmi’s brother was Goliath, whom David himself killed long before. Lahmi, like his brother, came equipped with a huge spear, but it was to no avail. But there is another battle at Gath, and the champion of this battle, who had twelve fingers and twelve toes (six digits on each hand and foot) is killed by David’s nephew, Jonathan, when he taunts the Israelites.

All of the champions of the Philistines in these battles were descended from the race of giants and all of them were bested by David’s men.

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1 Chronicles 20 (King James Version)

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.

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.

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