Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

A battle - at Gob - Instead of Gob, several editions, and about forty of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., have Nob; but Gezer is the name in the parallel place, 1 Chronicles 20:4.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

A battle in Gob - In the parallel passage (marginal reference), “Gezer” is named as the field of this battle. However, Gath is named 2 Samuel 21:20, 2 Samuel 21:22 in a way to make it probable that Gath was the scene of all the battles. The Septuagint in this verse has “Gath.”

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible

REGARDING THE SLAUGHTER OF THE GIANTS OF GATH

"After this there was again war with the Philistines at Gob; then Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giants. And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, the Bethlehemire, slew Goliath the Gitrite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. And there was war again at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty four in number; and he also was descended from the giants. And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother slew him. These four were descended from the giants in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants."

"Elhanan killed Goliath" (2 Samuel 21:19). The great difficulty here is that the Hebrew text is apparently a flat contradiction of 1 Samuel 17, where it is stated that David killed Goliath. For any who might be interested in a more detailed discussion of this, D. F. Payne in The New Bible Commentary (Revised) devotes a special appendix to the problem,[23] Bearing in mind the admitted corruption evident in this chapter, the Christian should have no difficulty with the problem. There are a number of ways to resolve the matter: (1) The parallel account in 1 Chronicles 20:5 states that, "Elhanan ... slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath." (2) Elhanan and David were names of the same individual, just as Solomon was also named Jedidiah (2 Samuel 12:24d). (3) "It is also possible that Goliath was a name worn by more than one Philistine giant, or that it was a Philistine title, or that it described a certain type of Philistine soldier."[24] It is perfectly silly for any Christian to be upset about this type of difficulty. "There is simply not enough information for anyone to be dogmatic about the problem."[25] As Payne stated it, "In view of the textual problems, it is a precarious argument to insist that 2 Samuel 21:19 contradicts 1 Samuel 17."[26]

"These four were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants" (2 Samuel 21:22). It is significant that David is here mentioned as one who had a hand in killing these giants, and that certainly harmonizes with 1 Samuel 17.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And it came to pass after this,.... After the former battle:

that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob; in 1 Chronicles 20:4 it is called Gezer; either the place had two names, or these two places were near each other; so that the battle may be said to be fought both at the one and at the other, being fought equally near to both:

then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant; who is called Sippai, 1 Chronicles 20:4; he had his name from the lintel of a door, being as high as one, so tall that he could scarce go under one. Sibbechai was one of David's worthies, 1 Chronicles 11:29; perhaps a descendant of Hushah, who sprung from Judah, 1 Chronicles 4:4.

Geneva Study Bible

(o) Called Gezer, and Saph is called Sippai, (1 Chronicles 20:4).

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

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.

After this — After the battle last mentioned.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Samuel 21:18 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.

Ver. 18. There was again a battle.]

“ Nunquam bella bonis, nunquam discrimina desunt:

Et quicum certet, mens pia semper habet. ”

At Gob.] Which was near unto Gezar. See 1 Chronicles 20:4. Some {a} for Gob read Nob, but that is not right.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

After this; after the battle last mentioned.

At Gob, or, in Gezer, as it is 1 Chronicles 20:4; whereby it seems Gob and Gezer were neighbouring places, and the battle fought in the confines of both.

Sibbechai the Hushathite; one of David’s worthies, 1 Chronicles 11:29.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

18.Gob — According to the parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 20:4, the place of this battle was Gezer, on the situation of which see Joshua 10:33. The site of Gob is not known, but it was probably close by Gezer.

Sibbechai — Probably identical with the Mebunnar of 2 Samuel 23:27, and one of David’s mighty men. 1 Chronicles 27:11.

Hushathite — So called from Hushah, his native town.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

2 Samuel 21:18. After this — After the battle last mentioned. There was again a battle at Gob — Or in Gezer, as in 1 Chronicles 20:4, whereby it seems Gob and Gezer were neighbouring places, and the battle was fought in the confines of both. Sibbechai the Hushathite — One of David’s worthies, 1 Chronicles 11:29; slew Saph — One of the same race of Rephaims, descended from the Anakims.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Gob, as Gazer was called by the Philistines; (1 Paralipomenon xx. 4.; Salien) unless (Haydock) the former word be a mistake of the transcriber. (Calmet) --- Septuagint (Alexandrian) reads, Geth. (Haydock) --- Sobochai, one of David's valiant men, 1 Paralipomenon xi. 29. --- Saphai is added in 1 Chron. xx.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Gob. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "Nob".

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

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.

There was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob [ b

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) At Gob.—Comp. 2 Samuel 21:19. The place is otherwise unknown. 1 Chronicles 20:4 reads “Gezer,” and the LXX. substitutes “Gath.” (Comp. 2 Samuel 21:20.) It is not at all remarkable that the names of many small places should be lost after the lapse of three thousand years, nor that the locality of the hamlet should be marked in the later chronicles by the better known neighbouring town of Gezer.

Sibbechai the Hushathite.—Comp. 1 Chronicles 20:4. He is also mentioned in the list of heroes (1 Chronicles 11:29); but in 2 Samuel 23:27 the name is changed into “Mebunnai the Hushathite by a slight alteration in the letters of the original. He was captain of the eighth division of the army (1 Chronicles 26:11). The giant whom he slew is called “Sippai” in the parallel place in Chronicles, and it is there said that the Philistines were subdued.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Sibbechai

1 Chronicles 11:29; 20:4

Saph

or, Sippai.

1 Chronicles 20:4

the giant

or, Rapha.

16,20; *marg: