21 ¹⁵ Once again war broke out between the Philistines and Israel. David and his men went down to the battle, but as he fought with the Philistines he fell exhausted. 21 ¹⁶ Then Benob, one of the race of the Rephaim, whose bronze spear weighed three hundred shekels shekels: prob. rdg, Heb weight and who wore a belt of honour, took David prisoner and was about to kill him. 21 ¹⁷ But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's help, struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David's officers took an oath that he should never again go out with them to war, for fear that the lamp of Israel might be extinguished.

21 ¹⁸ vv18-22: cp 1Chr. 20.4-7 Some time later war with the Philistines broke out again in Gob: it was then that Sibbechai of Hushah killed Saph, a descendant of the Rephaim. 21 ¹⁹ In another war with the Philistines in Gob, Elhanan son of Jair Jair: prob. rdg, cp 1Chr. 20.5; Heb Jaare-oregim of Bethlehem killed Goliath of Gath, whose spear had a shaft like a weaver's beam. 21 ²⁰ In yet another war in Gath there appeared a giant with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all. He too was descended from the Rephaim; 21 ²¹ and, when he defied Israel, Jonathan son of David's brother Shimeai killed him. 21 ²² These four giants were the descendants of the Rephaim in Gath, and they all fell at the hands of David and his men.