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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [First Chronicles, Chapter XX].</TITLE>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1708)
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>F I R S T &nbsp; C H R O N I C L E S</B></FONT>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XX.</FONT>
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<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Here is a repetition of the story of David's wars,
I. With the Ammonites, and the taking of Rabbah,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+20:1-3">ver. 1-3</A>.
II. With the giants of the Philistines,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+20:4-8">ver. 4-8</A>.</P>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Defeat of the Ammonites.</I></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1306.</TD></TR>
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<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>1 And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the
time that kings go out <I>to battle,</I> 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.
&nbsp; 2 And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and
found it to weigh a talent of gold, and <I>there were</I> precious
stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought
also exceeding much spoil out of the city.
&nbsp; 3 And he brought out the people that <I>were</I> in it, and cut
<I>them</I> 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.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
How the army of the Ammonites and their allies was routed in the field
we read in the foregoing chapters. Here we have the destruction of
Rabbah, the metropolis of their kingdom
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+20:1"><I>v.</I> 1</A>),
the putting of their king's crown upon David's head
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+20:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>),
and the great severity that was used towards the people,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+20:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>.
Of this we had a more full account in
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+11:1-12:31">
2 Sam. xi., xii.</A>,
and cannot but remember it by this sad token, that while Joab was
besieging Rabbah David fell into that great sin in the matter of Uriah.
But it is observable that, though the rest of the story is repeated,
that is not: a hint only is given of it, in those words which lie here
in a parenthesis--<I>But David tarried at Jerusalem.</I> If he had been
abroad with his army, he would have been out of the way of that
temptation; but, indulging his ease, he fell into uncleanness. Now, as
the relating of the sin David fell into is an instance of the
impartiality and fidelity of the sacred writers, so the avoiding of the
repetition of it here, when there was a fair occasion given to speak of
it again, is designed to teach us that, though there may be a just
occasion to speak of the faults and miscarriages of others, yet we
should not take delight in the repetition of them. That should always
be looked upon as an unpleasing subject which, though sometimes one
cannot help falling upon, yet one would not choose to dwell upon, any
more than we should love to rake in a dunghill. The persons, or
actions, we can say no good of, we had best say nothing of.</P>
<A NAME="1Ch20_4"> </A>
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<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>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, <I>that was</I> of the children of the giant: and they were
subdued.
&nbsp; 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 <I>was</I> like a weaver's beam.
&nbsp; 6 And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of
<I>great</I> stature, whose fingers and toes <I>were</I> four and twenty,
six <I>on each hand,</I> and six <I>on each foot:</I> and he also was the
son of the giant.
&nbsp; 7 But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's
brother slew him.
&nbsp; 8 These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the
hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
The Philistines were nearly subdued
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+18:1"><I>ch.</I> xviii. 1</A>);
but, as in the destruction of the Canaanites by Joshua the sons of Anak
were last subdued
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+11:21">Josh. xi. 21</A>),
so here in the conquest of the Philistines the giants of Gath were last
brought down. In the conflicts between grace and corruption there are
some sins which, like these giants, keep their ground a great while and
are not mastered without much difficulty and a long struggle: but
judgment will be brought forth unto victory at last. Observe,
1. We never read of giants among the Israelites as we do of the giants
among the Philistines-giants of Gath, but not giants of Jerusalem. The
growth of God's plants is in usefulness, not in bulk. Those who covet
to have <I>cubits added to their stature</I> do not consider that it
will but make then more unwieldy. In the balance of the sanctuary David
far outweighs Goliath.
2. The servants of David, though men of ordinary stature, were too hard
for the giants of Gath in every encounter, because they had God on
their side, who takes pleasure in abasing lofty looks, and mortifying
the giants that are in the earth, as he did of old by the deluge,
though they were men of renown. Never let the church's friends be
disheartened by the power and pride of the church's enemies. We need
not fear great men against us while we have the great God for us. What
will a finger more on each hand do, or a toe more on each foot, in
contest with Omnipotence?
3. These giants <I>defied Israel</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ch+20:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>)
and were thus made to pay for their insolence. None are more visibly
marked for ruin that those who reproach God and his Israel. God will do
great things rather than suffer the enemy to <I>behave themselves
proudly,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+32:27">Deut. xxxii. 27</A>.
The victories of the Son of David, like those of David himself, are
gradual. <I>We see not yet all things put under him;</I> but it will be
seen shortly: and death itself, the last enemy, like these giants, will
be triumphed over.</P>
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