1 Crônicas 20
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Crônicas 20
NJB (LXX versing) War With the Philistine Giants Rabbah Is Conquered The Conquest of Ammon. Further Wars with the Philistines David Captures Rabbah The Second Ammonite Campaign 20:1-3 20:1-3 20:1-3 20:1-3 20:1-3 Philistine Giants Destroyed Battles Against Philistine Giants Various Exploits Against the Philistines 20:4-8 20:4-8 20:4-8 20:4 20:4 20:5 20:5 20:6-7 20:6-7 20:8 20:8 Etc. CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS 1 Chronicles 18-20 deals with David's military victories which were accomplished by YHWH's power (cf. 1 Chr. 17:10). These chapters seem to be out of chronological order. They follow, to some extent, the parallels in 2 Samuel 11-12. The final defeat of the Ammonites was summarized in 1 Chr. 18:11, continued in 1 Chronicles 19, and finalized in 1 Chr. 20:1-3. The account of David's sin with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah are omitted (cf. 2 Samuel 11-12). This is characteristic of the Chronicler's literary purposes of magnifying David and his dynasty. The last literary unit of this chapter documents a victory over the giants. This would demonstrate God's power and promise through David and by association, his military. SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS USED FOR TALL/POWERFUL WARRIORS OR PEOPLE GROUPS
1 Crônicas 20:1-3
20:1 It is possible that the reason Joab did not attack the capital of Ammon after the defeat of its army and mercenaries was due to the weather (cf. 2 Sam. 11:1; i.e., spring; see Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 190, 251) or agricultural necessities. ▣ "David stayed at Jerusalem" This was the occasion of his sin with Bathsheba and against Uriah (cf. 2 Samuel 11-12). 20:2 This is the only crown David took to himself. Why is uncertain. David gave the spoils of his earlier victories to the temple treasury for the building of the future temple of YHWH, but this spoil he apparently retained for himself. The parallel is in 2 Sam. 12:30. Also note that 2 Sam. 12:27-29 records Joab's request that David come and personally take credit for the victory. ▣ "their king" The same Hebrew consonants (BDB 572 I, cf. 2 Sam. 12:30) can also refer to the god, Milcom (BDB 575, cf. 1 Kgs. 11:5; Zeph. 1:5; LXX, Vulgate, NJB). The UBS Text Project gives "Milcom" a "B" rating (some doubt). In 1 Kgs. 11:7 another fertility god, Molech, is named. The Hebrew consonants MLK are the root of king Milcom Molech SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH ▣ "to weigh a talent" This would have been too heavy for a human to wear on his head. This is one reason why it may be the head ornament of an idol. SPECIAL TOPIC: ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN WEIGHTS AND VOLUMES 20:3 Ancient warfare was terrible and vindictive. Whole populations were killed in shocking ways or were taken into slavery (cf. 2 Sam. 12:31). It is possible that 2 Sam. 12:31 really refers to "putting them to work" in construction. But this is conjecture (cf. JPSOA footnote). ▣ The VERB is "sawed" (BDB 965, KB 1313, Qal IMPERFECT with waw). The text mentions three objects. saws ‒ BDB 176 sharp instruments ‒ BDB 358 CONSTRUCT BDB 137, occurs only here and 2 Sam. 12:31 axes ‒ BDB 176 (notice how the translations change the name of the tool because of redundancy with #1), see NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 982
1 Crônicas 20:4-8
20:4-8 There are several references to the "giants." "giants," 1 Chr. 20:4, Rephaim (BDB 952 II, NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 1173-1180) "brother of Goliath," 1 Chr. 20:5 (cf. 1 Sam. 17:4-7; 2 Sam. 21:16,19) "giants," 1 Chr. 20:6 ‒ a different descendant of Raphah "giant," 1 Chr. 20:8 ‒ a race of tall, powerful men from Gath This is the type of people that the ten spies, sent by Moses, feared in Num. 13:28 (i.e., sons of Anak; also note Deut. 1:26-28; 2:10-11,20). SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS USED FOR TALL/POWERFUL WARRIORS OR PEOPLE GROUPS 20:5 This seems to be a textual corruption a contradiction with David's defeat of Goliath There are several textual issues involved, as well as the presuppositions of the commentators. For a good brief discussion, see Martin T. Selman, Tyndale OT Commentaries, p. 207 or AB, p. 136. I think the accounts can be reconciled. David killed Goliath, one of his warriors killed his brother (see Hard Sayings of the Bible, p. 212). For a good, brief discussion of the textual problems between 2 Sam. 21:19 and here, see the Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p, 404, or Gleason L. Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pp. 178-179. 20:7 "taunted" This giant did what Goliath did in 1 Sam. 17:10, 25, 36, 45. Possibly it reflects the Greek/Philistine tradition of two warriors settling a battle instead of two armies, thus saving many lives. However, this is speculation.