Rabbah and the Philistine Giants

"At the time that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army… But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it." David takes the crown, weighing a talent of gold, and sets it on his head.

He brings out the people "and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes." War with the Philistines at Gezer: Sibbechai kills Sippai.

"And Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam." At Gath a man of great stature with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot is killed by Jonathan son of Shimea. "These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants."

What Chronicles omits

Between "David tarried at Jerusalem" and the fall of Rabbah, 2 Samuel 11–12 tells of Bathsheba, Uriah and Nathan. Chronicles omits it, as it omits Amnon, Absalom and Sheba's revolts. Its David is the founder of worship, not the troubled family man of Samuel; its readers had both books.

Elhanan and Goliath

2 Samuel 21:19 says Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, killed Goliath; Chronicles says he killed Lahmi, Goliath's brother. Many scholars think Chronicles harmonized with 1 Samuel 17 by reading "Bethlehemite" (bet hallahmi) as "Lahmi"; others think Samuel's text is damaged. The Vulgate translates the names: "Adeodatus son of Saltus, a Bethlehemite." See the 2 Samuel passage page.

Saws and axes

Whether the Ammonites were cut with saws or put to work with saws (forced labor) depends on one Hebrew letter; see the 2 Samuel 12:31 page.