Did you know…
The first verse of this chapter is almost the same as the first verse of 2 Samuel 11. This coincides with the time of David’s adultery with Bathsheba in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 11:2-4).
Verses 2-3 parallel 2 Samuel 12:26-31. This was after David had Solomon, his second son with Bathsheba.
Verses 4-8 parallel 2 Samuel 21:18-22, with some differences in names – for example:
The giant killed by Sibbecai the Hushathite is named “Sippai” in 1 Chronicles, and “Saph” in 2 Samuel.
Elhanan’s father is named “Jair” in 1 Chronicles, and “Jaare-oregim” in 2 Samuel.
The Philistine giant killed by Elhanan is identified as “Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite” in 1 Chronicles, whereas in 2 Samuel he is recorded as “Goliath the Gittite”, even though we know David was the one who killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4).
One widely accepted explanation among Bible scholars is that these differences may be due to copyist variations. The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, a language in which vowels were traditionally not written down, and its books were copied by hand over many centuries. Because of this, small variations could appear in later manuscripts. Some scholars also suggest that the writer of Chronicles may have had access to an older or more reliable manuscript of Samuel, thereby preserving the correct reading.
Even as we note these textual differences, we read the Bible with confidence that it does not contradict itself, because it is authored by God (2 Timothy 3:16).
When battles take longer than they seem
Reading this chapter alongside 2 Samuel 12 helped me appreciate the victory recorded in 1 Chronicles 20:1-3 more deeply. Chronicles presents the battle as a swift and decisive victory, but 2 Samuel shows that Joab’s campaign against the Ammonites likely stretched over many months, perhaps even more than a year. During that same period, David sinned with Bathsheba, lost their first child, and later had Solomon. The victory therefore did not come instantly; it came in God’s timing.
I then think of the wars happening in the world now, such as the civil war in Myanmar, the Russo-Ukraine war, and the Israel-Gaza war. These conflicts have continued for years and remain unresolved. Altogether, Scripture, along with current affairs, remind us that victory is not always immediate, nor does it always belong to the strongest. As Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong”; rather, time and chance — meaning, God’s sovereign will — happen to them all.
Not by one giant-slayer alone
Verses 4-8 also show that David was not the only one who could kill giants. Three other men of valour are recorded as defeating different giants. This is especially striking when read alongside 2 Samuel 21:15-17, where David, now older and weaker, grew weary in battle and was nearly killed by another giant before Abishai came to his rescue. After this, David’s men insisted that he should no longer go out with them to battle, because the one who had once defeated Goliath could no longer fight as he used to.
This reminds me that even the greatest people we look up to are still human. One day, they may lose the strength, wisdom, or ability that once made them seem so dependable. Instead of relying on them as if they were infallible pillars, we are called to place our trust in our infallible God. Scripture repeatedly reminds us that God fights for His people, as seen in His words to Moses and Joshua in Exodus 14:14 and Joshua 1:9.
Reflection questions:
What spiritual battles are we personally fighting right now? Commit them to God in prayer and continue seeking His direction from the Bible.
Who are the people we look up to right now? Are we depending on them more than we depend on God?
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7)
