The battles against the giants of Philistia
15The army of Philistia again started to fight against the army of Israel. And David and his soldiers went to fight the Philistines. During the battle, David became weary. 16One of the Philistia men thought that he could kill David. His name was Ishbi-Benob. He was a descendant of a group of giants. He carried a bronze spear that weighed about ◄7-1/2 pounds/3-1/2 kg.►, and he also had a new sword. 17But Abishai came to help David, and attacked the giant and killed him. Then David’s soldiers forced him to promise that he would not go with them into a battle again. They said to him, “If you die, and none of your descendants become king, that would be like [MET] extinguishing the last light in Israel.”
18Some time after that, there was a battle with the army of Philistia near Gob village. During the battle, Sibbecai, from the Hushah clan, killed Saph, one of the descendants of the Rapha giants.
19Later there was another battle with the army of Philistia at Gob. During that battle, Elhanan, the son of Jaare-Oregim from Bethlehem, killed the brother of Goliath from Gath city; Goliath’s spear shaft/handle was ◄very thick, like the bar on a weaver’s loom/over two inches thick►.
20Later there was another battle near Gath. There was a ◄huge man/giant► there who liked to fight in battles. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. He was descended from the Rapha giants. 21But when he ◄made fun of/ridiculed► the men in the Israeli army, Jonathan, the son of David’s older brother Shimeah, killed him.
22Those four men were some of the descendants of the Rapha giants who had lived in Gath, who were killed [MTY] by David and his soldiers.
