Key Verse Spotlight
1 Chronicles 20:4 - Meaning and Application
Understand how this verse speaks to what you're facing and how to apply it today
Translation: King James Version
" 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. "
1 Chronicles 20:4
Verse in Context
Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:
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.
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The Philistines were almost fully subdued (1 Chronicles 18:1). But, just as Joshua’s conquest of Canaan ended with the sons of Anak, the giant clans, being overcome last (Joshua 11:21), so the final part of the victory over the Philistines came when the giants of Gath were brought down. In the struggle between God’s grace and human sin, some sins act like these giants. They hold their ground for a long time and are not conquered without much effort and a long fight. Yet judgment will finally lead to victory.
Notice a few things here. We never read of giants among the Israelites, as we do among the Philistines, the giants of Gath, not giants of Jerusalem. God’s people are meant to grow in usefulness, not in size. Those who want to add cubits to their height do not think about how that would only make them harder to manage. In God’s sight, David counts for far more than Goliath.
David’s servants, though ordinary men in size, were more than a match for the giants of Gath in every fight, because God was on their side. He delights to bring down proud looks and to humble the giants in the earth, just as he once did in the flood, even though those men were famous. So the friends of the church should never be discouraged by the power or pride of the church’s enemies. We do not need to fear great men when the great God is for us. What can an extra finger or toe do against all-powerful God?
These giants had mocked Israel (1 Chronicles 20:7), and that arrogance brought judgment on them. Those who insult God and his people are the ones most clearly marked for ruin. God will do great things before he lets the enemy act proudly (Deuteronomy 32:27). The victories of David’s Son, the Messiah, like David’s own victories, come step by step. We do not yet see everything put under him, but we soon will. Even death, the last enemy, like these giants, will be defeated in the end.
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From This Chapter
1 Chronicles 20:1
"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."
1 Chronicles 20:2
"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."
1 Chronicles 20:3
"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."
1 Chronicles 20:5
"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."
1 Chronicles 20:6
"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."
1 Chronicles 20:7
"But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother slew him."
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