Lives of Scripture

Ishbi-benob was a Philistine warrior descended from the giant clan of Rapha, armed with a new sword and a bronze spearhead weighing three hundred shekels -- roughly seven and a half pounds (2 Samuel 21:16). During ongoing war between Israel and the Philistines, David went out with his men to fight, but by this point in his reign he was worn down by age and combat. Ishbi-benob "intended to kill David," seeing the king's exhaustion as an opening (21:16). Before he could strike, Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, came to David's aid, struck the Philistine down, and killed him (21:17). Shaken by how close their king had come to death, David's men swore an oath afterward: "You shall not go out again with us to battle, so that you do not extinguish the lamp of Israel" (21:17). Ishbi-benob's brief, violent appearance marks a turning point in David's story -- the once-unstoppable warrior-king now needed his men to fight for him, and to protect him from himself. His account sits among a cluster of stories about the giant descendants of Rapha whom David's mighty men defeated in these later Philistine wars (21:15-22).