Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Chronicles 20:4

"And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines: then Sibbecai the Hushathite slew Sippai, of the sons of the giant; and they were subdued." — 1 Chronicles 20:4 (ASV)

II. This section corresponds to 2 Samuel 21:18–22. The chronicler has omitted the history of Absalom’s rebellion, with all the events that preceded and followed it, as recorded in 2 Samuel 13-20; and, further, the touching story of the sacrifice of seven sons of Saul at the demand of the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1–14).

And it came to pass after this. —Compare Notes on 1 Chronicles 18:1; 1 Chronicles 19:1. The chronicler has omitted, whether by accident or design, the account with which, in 2 Samuel 21:15–17, this fragmentary section begins, and which tells how David was nearly slain by the giant Ishbi-benob.

There arose war. —Literally, there stood, a unique phrase, which perhaps originated in a misreading of that which appears in 2 Samuel 21:18, “there became again.”

Gezer. —Samuel, “Gob,” an unknown place. Each word (spelling Gôb fully) has three consonants in Hebrew, of which the first is common to both, and the other two are similar enough to make corruption easy. For “Gezer,” see Joshua 16:3. The Syriac and Arabic here read “Gaza”; but Gezer (so Septuagint and Vulgate) seems right.

Sibbechai the Hushathite. —See 1 Chronicles 11:29; 1 Chronicles 27:11.

Sippai. —Samuel, “Saph.”

Of the children of the giant. —See margin. Render, Sippai, of the offspring (a special term— yĕlîdê— see Numbers 13:22; Joshua 15:14) of the Rephaites. “Rapha” was doubtless the collective tribal designation of the gigantic Rephaim (Genesis 14:5).

And they were subdued —Added by chronicler.