Lexical Summary madon: Strife, contention, dispute Original Word: מָדוֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance stature From the same as medev; extensiveness, i.e. Height -- stature. see HEBREW medev NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee middah. Brown-Driver-Briggs III. מָדוֺן noun [masculine] 2 Samuel 21:20 Qr, see I. מִדָּה. above מַדּוּעַ see ידע, p. 396. מְדוּרָה see דור. מִדְחֶה see דחה. [מַדְחֵפָה], מַדְחֵפֹת see דחף. Topical Lexicon Scope of the Termמָדוֹן (Strong’s 4067) appears a single time in the Old Testament. In 2 Samuel 21:20 it qualifies an unnamed Philistine warrior as a “man of great stature”. The word is derived from the Hebrew concept of “measure,” so the expression points to an extraordinary physical size rather than mere height—an outsized, almost immeasurable form. Scripture thus uses the term to underscore the intimidating presence of the giant rather than to offer an exact cubit count. Narrative Context in 2 Samuel 21:20 The verse belongs to a short collection of post-Goliath battles (2 Samuel 21:15-22) in which the house of David overcomes the last notable descendants of Rapha. The text reads: “And there was war with the Philistines again at Gath. There was a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He too was descended from Rapha.” The “man of מָדוֹן” stands alongside earlier champions such as Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4) and Saph (2 Samuel 21:18). Each conflict demonstrates the waning power of the Philistine giant clans and the continuing triumph of Israel under the covenant promises given to David (2 Samuel 7:8-16). Contribution to the Biblical Portrait of the Giant Clans 1. Continuity with Earlier Traditions Numbers 13:33 refers to the Nephilim and Anakim whose stature caused Israel to shrink back in fear. Deuteronomy 3:11 mentions Og king of Bashan, whose bed measured nine cubits. By describing a “man of מָדוֹן,” Scripture ties the final Philistine giants to that earlier tradition and shows the complete fulfillment of God’s pledge to drive out the intimidating peoples of Canaan (Deuteronomy 9:1-3). 2. Emphasis on Divine Victory Each episode with giants, culminating in 2 Samuel 21, magnifies the Lord’s supremacy. Though the adversaries possess great “measure,” their might cannot stand against the God of Israel working through faithful servants such as David’s warriors (2 Samuel 21:17,22). Theological Themes: Sovereign Deliverance Over Monumental Foes • God’s Faithfulness—The elimination of the last giant descendants fulfills Yahweh’s promise to give Israel rest from enemies “on every side” (2 Samuel 7:1). Ministry Applications 1. Courage in the Face of “Oversized” Opposition Believers today encounter cultural, ideological, and personal challenges that seem beyond measure. The single biblical appearance of מָדוֹן reminds the church that no obstacle, however enormous, is beyond God’s capacity to overcome (Romans 8:31). 2. Leadership and Succession David’s men, not David himself, dispatch the remaining giants. Healthy ministry equips others to face formidable tasks after the founding leader’s prime (2 Timothy 2:2). 3. Discernment of True Strength The Philistine’s extra digits and towering stature suggest completeness by human standards (twenty-four digits), yet genuine completeness belongs to those “made complete in Christ” (Colossians 2:10). Related Passages for Further Study Genesis 6:4; Numbers 13:33; Deuteronomy 2:10-11; Deuteronomy 3:11; Joshua 11:21-22; 1 Samuel 17:4-10; 2 Samuel 21:15-22; 1 Chronicles 20:6-8; Psalm 18:32-34; Ephesians 6:10-13. Forms and Transliterations מָדֹ֗ון מדון mā·ḏō·wn maDon māḏōwnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Samuel 21:20 HEB: [מָדִין כ] (מָדֹ֗ון ק) וְאֶצְבְּעֹ֣ת KJV: where was a man of [great] stature, that had on every hand INT: there was A man stature fingers hand 1 Occurrence |
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