Jonathan

15Later the Philistines went to war against Israel again. David and his men went down and fought them. But David grew very tired and weak.

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.

16A Philistine named Ishbi-benob came from a family of giants. The metal head of his spear weighed about eight pounds. He carried a new sword, and he meant to kill David.

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.

NoteThe old text says the spear head weighed three hundred shekels. A shekel was a small weight, a little less than half an ounce. "Sons of the giant" means a family known for men who were very tall and strong.

17But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, came to help David. He struck that Philistine down and killed him. Then David's men made him promise something. They said, "You must never go out to battle with us again. The lamp of Israel must not go out."

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.

NoteA lamp was a small clay dish of oil with a burning wick. Calling David the lamp of Israel was a way of saying he kept the country going. If he died, it would feel like the light going out.

18Some time later there was another battle with the Philistines at a place called Gob. There Sibbechai from Hushah killed Saph, another man from the family of giants.

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.

19There was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. Elhanan, the son of Jaare-oregim from Bethlehem, killed the brother of Goliath from Gath. The pole of that man's spear was as thick as a heavy bar on a weaving machine.

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.

NoteA weaving machine, or loom, had a thick wooden bar across it. Saying the spear was like that bar means it was as heavy as a fence post. Gath was one of the main Philistine cities.

20There was still another battle, this one at Gath. A very big man was there. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. That is twenty-four in all. He also came from the family of giants.

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.

21He made fun of Israel and dared them to fight. So Jonathan killed him. Jonathan was the son of Shimeah, who was David's brother.

And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him.

Note"Defied" means he shouted at Israel and dared them to fight him. Soldiers did this before a battle to make the other side afraid.

22These four men all came from the giant of Gath. David and his men killed every one of them.

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

4Some time later, war started with the Philistines at a town called Gezer. In that battle Sibbechai from Hushah killed Sippai. Sippai came from a family of very tall men. The Philistines were beaten.

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.

NoteThe Philistines were a people who lived near the sea. They fought against Israel many times. The King James calls Sippai one of "the children of the giant." It means he came from a family known for being very big.

5There was another battle with the Philistines. Elhanan son of Jair killed a man named Lahmi. Lahmi was the brother of Goliath, who came from the town of Gath. The handle of his spear was as thick as a bar on a weaving machine.

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.

NoteGoliath was the giant soldier David killed when David was young. Gath was one of the main Philistine cities. A weaver's beam is a thick wooden bar on a machine that makes cloth. So this spear handle was very thick and heavy.

6There was still another battle, at Gath. A very tall man was fighting there. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. That is twenty-four in all. He came from that same family of tall men.

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.

NoteSome people really are born with an extra finger or toe. Together with his height, it made this man look frightening to soldiers.

7He made fun of Israel and dared them to fight him. Jonathan killed him. Jonathan's father was Shimea, and Shimea was David's brother.

But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David’s brother slew him.

NoteThe King James says he "defied Israel." Before a battle, a soldier would shout insults at the other army. He was daring one of them to come and fight him alone.

8All these men came from that family of tall men in Gath. David and his soldiers defeated every one of them.

These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.