Commentary - 2 Samuel 21:15-22

Bird's-eye view

We have now come to what you might call the coda of David's story, a section of Samuel that is not arranged chronologically, but rather thematically. The narrator is tying up some loose ends from David's long and eventful reign. But this is not just a miscellaneous junk drawer of stories. The fact that this appendix, running from chapter 21 through 24, is deliberately structured can be seen in its chiastic arrangement. It begins and ends with a natural disaster and David's response (21:1-14 and 24:1-25). Inside that, you have two sections on the heroics of David's men, first in giant-killing (our passage, 21:15-22) and then a list of the mighty men (23:8-39). And at the very center, you have two psalms, a song of David (ch. 22) and his last words (23:1-7). Our text is the first of the two sections on Israel's warriors, focusing on the business of giant-killing.

This is a record of four separate skirmishes with the Philistines, each one resulting in the death of one of the last remaining giants, the sons of Rapha in Gath. These are the tag-end remnants of the Anakim that Joshua drove out of the hill country centuries before. They took refuge in Philistine cities like Gath, and here we see them being mopped up. This is not just a series of random war stories; it is a theological statement. The age of the giants is over. The seed of the serpent is being dealt with, and the kingdom is being secured by David and his men, who act as types of Christ and His Church.

Outline

Context In 2 Samuel

These chapters form a carefully constructed appendix to the life of David. The narrator has finished the main historical flow, which concluded with the restoration of David to his throne after Absalom's rebellion. Now, he provides a series of snapshots that summarize the character and theological significance of David's reign. This section is a testament to the faithfulness of God to His anointed. The central theme is God's deliverance, celebrated in David's song in chapter 22. The stories that surround that song, including our passage, serve as the evidence and groundwork for that praise. God delivers His people from famine, from giants, from all their enemies. Our passage, with its focus on the defeat of these monstrous foes, demonstrates that the conflict that defined the beginning of David's public career, his battle with Goliath, was a conflict that continued throughout his reign. The seed of the serpent is a persistent enemy, but the seed of the woman, in David and his men, will always prevail.

Key Issues

Verse by Verse Commentary

15 And the Philistines were at war again with Israel, so David went down and his servants with him; and as they fought against the Philistines, David became weary.

The first thing to note is the simple reality stated: the Philistines were at war again with Israel. The fight is never finally over in this life. There is always another battle, another skirmish. The Christian life is one of long obedience in the same direction, and that direction is frequently toward the sound of fighting. David, now an older man, goes down to battle with his men. He is still the king who leads from the front. But the years have taken their toll. The great warrior, the man who faced the lion, the bear, and Goliath, "became weary." This is a touch of stark realism. Even the greatest saints get tired. David's strength is failing, which sets the stage for the central point of this first incident.

16 Then Ishbi-benob, who was among those born to the giants, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, was girded with a new sword, and he intended to strike down David.

Just as David's strength fails, a new threat emerges. A giant, a descendant of the Rephaim, sees his opportunity. His name is Ishbi-benob, and he is a chip off the old block. He comes from the same stock as Goliath. The weight of his spearhead is given, three hundred shekels of bronze, which is about seven and a half pounds. This is formidable, though only half the weight of Goliath's spearhead. He is also girded with a "new" sword. This detail suggests he is a champion, well-equipped and ready for a significant fight. And his intention is not just to win a battle, but to take out the king. He "intended to strike down David." The enemy always aims for the head. Satan's strategy is to attack the leadership, to strike the shepherd.

17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine and put him to death. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish the lamp of Israel.”

Here is the turning point. "But Abishai..." When the king is weary, God has prepared others to step into the breach. Abishai, David's nephew and one of his fiercest warriors, comes to his aid. He helps David, strikes the giant, and kills him. The victory is secured, but a lesson is learned. David's men recognize the unacceptable risk. They swear an oath that he will no longer go out to battle with them. Why? Because he is the "lamp of Israel." This is a beautiful metaphor. The king, God's anointed, is the source of light, guidance, and life for the nation. If he is extinguished, the whole nation is plunged into darkness. This is true of David, but it is supremely true of David's greater Son. The church must protect its leaders, but ultimately, our confidence is in the Lamp that can never be extinguished, the Lord Jesus Christ.

18 Now it happened afterwards that there was war again with the Philistines at Gob; then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph, who was among those born to the giants.

The story continues with a rapid-fire succession of victories. Another war, another giant. This one is named Saph, also of the giant stock, and he is killed by Sibbecai the Hushathite. Sibbecai is one of David's mighty men listed later in chapter 23. The point here is that the giant-killing business is not a one-man show. It was never just about David. It is about the men David raised up, the loyal warriors who fought alongside him. The kingdom is advanced by the corporate body, not just the individual leader. David's legacy is not just in the giants he killed, but in the giant-killers he trained.

19 There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite struck down Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

This verse has caused some consternation for those who like to find contradictions in the Bible. It says Elhanan killed Goliath the Gittite. But wait, didn't David kill Goliath? The parallel account in 1 Chronicles 20:5 clears this up perfectly. It says Elhanan killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite. The description of the spear "like a weaver's beam" is identical to the description of Goliath's spear, indicating a family resemblance in their weaponry and stature. It is highly likely that a copyist error occurred in Samuel, omitting the words "the brother of." This is not a difficulty that undermines the faith; rather, it is a reminder that we should read Scripture with Scripture. The central point remains: another giant, a kinsman of the original menace, is taken down by one of David's men. Elhanan is from Bethlehem, the same town as David. Little Bethlehem produces giant-killers.

20 Then there was war at Gath again, and there was a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also had been born to the giants.

The fourth and final giant is perhaps the most bizarre. He is not named, but described by his physical anomalies: polydactyly, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. This is often a sign of genetic degradation, a feature of the monstrous. He is from Gath, the very hometown of Goliath, and a descendant of the giants. This is the enemy in his native habitat, a freak of nature who represents the rebellion against God's created order.

21 And he reproached Israel, so Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, struck him down.

Like Goliath before him, this giant's sin was not just his size but his mouth. He "reproached Israel." He taunted God's people. This is what the seed of the serpent does. And when he does, God raises up a champion to silence him. In this case, it is another Jonathan, not Saul's son, but David's nephew. The family of David is front and center in this fight. Jonathan, son of Shimei, strikes him down. The reproach is answered with the sword.

22 These four were born to the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

The passage concludes with a summary statement. These four monsters were all part of the same clan, the giants of Gath. And they all met the same end. They fell. And notice how the credit is distributed: "by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants." David gets the ultimate credit because he is the king, the covenant head. The victories of his men are his victories. Abishai's victory was directly in defense of David. But the servants are not erased; their deeds are recorded. This is a beautiful picture of the kingdom of Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ has won the decisive victory over the great dragon. But he gives us the privilege of participating in the mop-up operation, of crushing Satan under our feet (Romans 16:20). Our victories are our own, and they are recorded, but they are ultimately His victory, accomplished in and through us, His servants.

Application

First, we see that the Christian life is a life of warfare. There will always be another war with the Philistines, another giant to fight. We must not grow weary in well-doing, but we must also be realistic. The great king David himself grew weary. This is why we need the body of Christ. When one member is weak, others are strong. Abishai was there for David. We must be there for one another.

Second, we must recognize the importance of godly leadership. David was the "lamp of Israel." When leaders are targeted, the whole people are in danger. We should pray for and protect our pastors and elders, for they are prime targets for the enemy. At the same time, we must remember that the true lamp of the true Israel is Jesus Christ, and no giant from Gath can ever extinguish His light.

Finally, this passage is a tremendous encouragement. The age of giants is over. Christ, our David, met the ultimate champion of the enemy on the cross and defeated him decisively. The remaining giants that taunt and reproach the people of God today, the giants of secularism, of sexual confusion, of state overreach, are just the remnants of a defeated foe. They are big, they are ugly, and they have six fingers, but they are destined to fall. And they will fall not just by the hand of our King, but "by the hand of his servants." He has given us the honor of participating in His victory. So take up your sling and stones. There are giants to be killed.