2 Samuel

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Chapter 21 15,16,17

21:15-17 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. ..."

  This passage focuses on David when he came face to face with a problem he thought he had defeated 40 years earlier, that almost killed him.

   Toward the end of his long and prosperous reign, some 45 years after Goliath had fallen, David was forced to lead his army out against the Philistines. David had become famous as the giant killer of Israel. Even though it happened 45 years earlier the people still sang, "Saul has killed his thousands, but David has killed ten thousand." He was a folk hero and a king. He was a man known for his ability to kill giants.

    1 Samuel 17:40 records the events of that historic day. David gathered five smooth stones to use in his sling shot. Why would a young man so confident that God would lead him to victory, need five smooth stones, rather than one? Did he think he would miss four times? Some scholars think he may have prepared himself for the inevitable. It would only take one stone to kill Goliath, but he had heard that Goliath had four sons. One of the five stones, therefore, was for Goliath, the other four were for his sons should they come to avenge him.

    On the day David killed Goliath there was a shout of victory. The people celebrated and David put away the unused stones because the sons of the Giant never made a move against him.

    For 45 years David never heard a word from Goliath's sons. They made no attempts to destroy him. They existed but left him alone.

    However, this text records that the Philistine army decided to try to dominate the people of God once again. They were led by four great champions, the sons of Goliath, the fallen hero who was slain by David.

     And in the dust and fury of the battle he was confronted, face to face, and challenged by one of Goliath's sons. His name was Ishbi-benob.

     David went into battle with him and was confident of victory. If he had slain Goliath with a puny pebble, how much more the son of Goliath with a mighty sword. (2 Sam 21:15-17)

     But David found himself hard pressed against this enemy. Isbi-benob fought David with a new weapon. He dominated with great strength and with the power of his new weapon.  David's  arms ached. His legs threatened to give way. Fear began to fill his heart. He gave ground as he fought in desperation. The Philistine realized that he was slowly wearing David down. Just as he was about to deliver the fatal blow to David, Abishai, one of David's faithful soldiers, moved in, distracted the Philistine and killed him. Later on in the war the remaining 3 sons of Goliath were also killed. (2 Sam 21:18-22)

      Had it not been that he had a little unexpected help, David might have been slain.

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