דברי הימים א, פרק כ׳, פסוק ד׳

During the later years of King David's reign, Israel's military campaigns shifted primarily to border conflicts with the Philistines. Because the land of Philistia was never entirely conquered, its local lords operated as semi-independent rulers who initiated occasional attacks against Israel [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This era marked the final wars of David's life, a time when the king no longer went out to the battlefield himself [מלבי״ם]. Notably, the historical record in the Book of Chronicles deliberately leaves out a dramatic event that preceded this specific conflict. In the parallel account found in the Book of Samuel, David became exhausted in combat and was nearly killed by a Philistine giant before being rescued by Abishai son of Zeruiah. This omission is intentional, designed to protect the king's honor and avoid presenting him in a moment of physical weakness [רש״י].

The conflict erupted in Gezer, a city situated along Israel's western border [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. While the Book of Samuel records the location of this war as Nob, commentators offer several explanations to resolve the discrepancy. It is possible that the city simply went by two different names, or that Gezer and Nob were neighboring towns [רלב״ג]. Another perspective suggests that while the Philistine giants resided in Nob, the actual fighting took place in Gezer [מלבי״ם].

During the battle, one of David's mighty warriors, Sibbecai the Hushathite, achieved a remarkable victory by striking down a massive enemy named Sippai [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This adversary, who is referred to as Saph in the Book of Samuel, was known by both names [רלב״ג]. He was a fearsome figure, the brother of the infamous giants Goliath and Ishbi [רש״י], and a descendant of the Rephaim, a family of giants [מצודת ציון]. The Rephaim were men of enormous proportions, widely believed to be the last survivors of an ancient and dying race. The Philistines would strategically place these few remaining giants in their military ranks, often positioning them at the front lines to strike terror into the hearts of their enemies. Overcoming this intimidating tactic, Sibbecai's success in killing the giant Sippai was recognized as a particularly bold and extraordinary act of bravery [ביאור שטיינזלץ].