What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 20:7?

and when he taunted Israel

• The “he” is the unnamed Philistine giant with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot (1 Chronicles 20:6).

• His taunting was more than trash talk; it was open defiance of God’s covenant people, echoing Goliath’s earlier challenge: “I defy the ranks of Israel this day” (1 Samuel 17:10).

• In Scripture, contempt toward Israel is ultimately contempt toward Israel’s God (Psalm 74:18; Zechariah 2:8).

• The verse reminds us that God hears every insult aimed at His people and will vindicate His name (Exodus 14:14).

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Jonathan

• This Jonathan is not Saul’s son and David’s friend but a different man altogether—a warrior in David’s extended family (2 Samuel 21:21).

• God raises new champions for each crisis; just as David once stepped up against Goliath, Jonathan now steps up against another giant (1 Samuel 17:45–47).

• Personal courage flows from confidence in the LORD, not from human reputation (Joshua 1:9).

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the son of David’s brother Shimei

• Shimei was one of David’s older brothers (1 Samuel 16:6–9).

• Jonathan’s action shows that faith and valor had spread through David’s household; the family legacy of trusting God in battle continued (Psalm 144:1).

• This detail links the victory to the house of Jesse, fulfilling God’s promise to establish David’s line as defenders of His people (2 Samuel 7:9–11).

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killed him

• Jonathan’s decisive blow ends the giant’s threat immediately, mirroring David’s earlier triumph over Goliath (1 Samuel 17:51).

• The defeat underscores that God, not human size or weaponry, determines the outcome of every conflict (Deuteronomy 20:4).

• With each fallen giant, the Philistine grip on Israel weakens, showcasing the LORD’s continuing faithfulness to His covenant (Judges 3:9–10; 2 Samuel 21:22).

• The text is literal history, recording an actual victory that reassures believers of God’s ongoing power to deliver (Hebrews 13:8).

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summary

1 Chronicles 20:7 records a real event in which a Philistine giant mocked Israel, Jonathan the nephew of David rose in faith, and the LORD granted victory. The verse teaches that God hears every challenge against His people, empowers ordinary believers to confront extraordinary enemies, and continues His covenant faithfulness through successive generations.