II Samuel 21:15-22
“Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.”(II Samuel 21:15)
By this time, David has been king for over thirty years, and is in his sixties. II Samuel 5:4 stated, “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.” Like most people he didn’t want to admit he was not as strong as he had been before. When he went out to battle with the Philistines, he played out. Sooner or later age catches up with every man who lives that long.
“And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him.
Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.” (II Samuel 21:16-17)
One of the old family of giants who lived among the Philistines made it his goal to kill David. He was a very large and strong man, using a spear with a head weighing nearly ten pounds, and carrying a new sword he hoped to break in by killing David. Anyone who has ever used a ten pound sledgehammer can get an idea how strong Ishbibenob had to be to handle such a spear effectively. Had Abishai not come to David’s rescue and killed the giant, David would have been killed when he played out. After that David’s men refused to let him go into battle for fear he’d be killed and leave Israel leaderless.
Like David, we all come to a point where we cannot do everything we used to, and like David, trying to keep on begins to put others at risk. We will be forced to let others do those jobs if we do not voluntarily do so.
“And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.
And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.” (II Samuel 21:18-19)
In subsequent battles other members of the giant family were killed, including Goliath’s brother more than forty years after David killed his brother. We have no idea how large Goliath’s brother was, but the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, probably five to six inches in diameter. His hands must have been huge to even grip it firmly. Just a glancing blow could crush an ordinary man’s skull.
“And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him.” (II Samuel 21:20-21)
David’s friend Achish, king of Gath had died and the younger generation wanted to take over Israel. Another of the family of giants with a genetic abnormality that caused six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, like Goliath almost fifty years before, defied the armies of Israel, and like Goliath, was killed by someone he thought had no chance. David’s nephew killed him.
“These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.” (II Samuel 21:22)
Almost seven hundred years after the ten spies had refused to go into the land because of a few giants, there were still giants, and individual normal Israelites were still able to kill them, with God’s help. Unlike man, God’s strength is not eroded by time.
“Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.”(II Samuel 21:15)
By this time, David has been king for over thirty years, and is in his sixties. II Samuel 5:4 stated, “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.” Like most people he didn’t want to admit he was not as strong as he had been before. When he went out to battle with the Philistines, he played out. Sooner or later age catches up with every man who lives that long.
“And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him.
Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.” (II Samuel 21:16-17)
One of the old family of giants who lived among the Philistines made it his goal to kill David. He was a very large and strong man, using a spear with a head weighing nearly ten pounds, and carrying a new sword he hoped to break in by killing David. Anyone who has ever used a ten pound sledgehammer can get an idea how strong Ishbibenob had to be to handle such a spear effectively. Had Abishai not come to David’s rescue and killed the giant, David would have been killed when he played out. After that David’s men refused to let him go into battle for fear he’d be killed and leave Israel leaderless.
Like David, we all come to a point where we cannot do everything we used to, and like David, trying to keep on begins to put others at risk. We will be forced to let others do those jobs if we do not voluntarily do so.
“And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.
And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.” (II Samuel 21:18-19)
In subsequent battles other members of the giant family were killed, including Goliath’s brother more than forty years after David killed his brother. We have no idea how large Goliath’s brother was, but the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, probably five to six inches in diameter. His hands must have been huge to even grip it firmly. Just a glancing blow could crush an ordinary man’s skull.
“And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him.” (II Samuel 21:20-21)
David’s friend Achish, king of Gath had died and the younger generation wanted to take over Israel. Another of the family of giants with a genetic abnormality that caused six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, like Goliath almost fifty years before, defied the armies of Israel, and like Goliath, was killed by someone he thought had no chance. David’s nephew killed him.
“These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.” (II Samuel 21:22)
Almost seven hundred years after the ten spies had refused to go into the land because of a few giants, there were still giants, and individual normal Israelites were still able to kill them, with God’s help. Unlike man, God’s strength is not eroded by time.
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