1 Chronicles 20:6
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This verse is easily overlooked, but notice the specific detail about the man’s extra fingers and toes – it’s not just about his size, but a unique physical anomaly. This meticulous description serves to highlight how this descendant of the giants was not just big, but distinctly other, emphasizing the unusual and potentially terrifying nature of these ancient foes.
And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage comes during a period where Israel is facing battles against Goliath's descendants, continuing the conflict that David first encountered. Just before this, David's mighty men had defeated giants, and this verse describes another encounter with a fearsome warrior from Gath. The chapter emphasizes the extraordinary nature of these battles and God's continued deliverance of His people.
It seems like after one battle with giants, the Israelites should have learned their lesson. But here we are again, facing a similar enemy.
A Recurring Danger
This passage in 1 Chronicles is actually a recap and expansion of a story found in 2 Samuel. When you read about this giant in Gath, it's not a new kind of threat. It’s a sign that the spiritual battles we face often have familiar patterns.
The Israelites had already defeated Goliath, a giant from Gath (1 Samuel 17). They also conquered other giants (2 Samuel 21). Yet, here's another one. This reminds us that challenges to faith don't just disappear after one victory. We need to stay vigilant and remember God's faithfulness in past battles.
This isn't just a historical note; it's a strategic reminder. God's people can become complacent, thinking they've 'seen it all.' But the enemy often returns with different disguises, testing the same core issues of trust and obedience.
This giant isn't just big; he's strangely proportioned. Twenty-four digits! What does this extreme physical oddity tell us?
Beyond Human Understanding
The description of the giant with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot is striking. It emphasizes that this was not an ordinary human being. These 'giants,' often referred to in Scripture, represent forces and beings that defy natural explanation and human capability.
This isn't just about physical might. The description of unusual physical traits points to the supernatural origins and power associated with these beings. They were often presented as overwhelming threats, designed to instill fear and doubt in God's people.
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But the crucial point is that God's people, acting in faith and with God's power, overcame them. This highlights a core theological truth: God's strength is not limited by our understanding of 'normal' or 'possible.' He empowers His people to triumph over even the most daunting and seemingly unnatural obstacles.
Understand the original words
raphah · Hebrew Noun
A term used to describe individuals or groups of people characterized by unusual, often terrifying, size and physical strength. In the biblical narrative, they often represent the enemies of God's people and the remnants of ancient, oppressive populations that the Israelites were commanded to displace.
This account of war at Gath, featuring a descendant of the giants, occurs during the later, more established period of David's reign, after he had already proven his might against giants like Goliath. It underscores the persistent threat from remnant 'giant' lineages and the ongoing spiritual warfare even as David's kingdom seemed secure.
c. 1010 BC
David becomes King of Israel
After years of conflict, David unites the tribes of Israel and establishes Jerusalem as his capital.
c. 1000 BC
David conquers the Philistines
David significantly weakens Philistine power, expanding Israelite territory and influence.
c. 990 BC
David's census and plague
A census ordered by David leads to a devastating plague, highlighting the dangers of pride and reliance on human strength.
c. 970 BC— this verse
David's later wars and conflicts
David engages in numerous battles against surrounding nations, including the Philistines, solidifying Israel's borders and reputation.
c. 930 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the unified kingdom splits into Israel (north) and Judah (south), leading to centuries of conflict.
This passage also describes a giant from Gath with extra digits, reinforcing the description of unusual physical traits as signs of a lineage connected to the Nephilim.
Genesis 6:4This verse introduces the Nephilim, the 'giants' mentioned in Chronicles, linking the extraordinary stature and unusual traits of individuals like the one in Gath to a supernatural origin predating the flood.
Numbers 13:33The spies' report about the descendants of Anak being giants mirrors the description of the man in Gath, highlighting a recurring theme of formidable, giant-like people in the land of Canaan and their challenges to God's people.
1 Samuel 17:4-7The description of Goliath, another giant from Gath with unusual characteristics, provides a parallel example of a fearsome warrior descending from a lineage of giants, underscoring the threat these individuals posed.
This verse is easily overlooked, but notice the specific detail about the man’s extra fingers and toes – it’s not just about his size, but a unique physical anomaly. This meticulous description serves to highlight how this descendant of the giants was not just big, but distinctly other, emphasizing the unusual and potentially terrifying nature of these ancient foes.
This passage comes during a period where Israel is facing battles against Goliath's descendants, continuing the conflict that David first encountered. Just before this, David's mighty men had defeated giants, and this verse describes another encounter with a fearsome warrior from Gath. The chapter emphasizes the extraordinary nature of these battles and God's continued deliverance of His people.
This passage comes during a period where Israel is facing battles against Goliath's descendants, continuing the conflict that David first encountered. Just before this, David's mighty men had defeated giants, and this verse describes another encounter with a fearsome warrior from Gath. The chapter emphasizes the extraordinary nature of these battles and God's continued deliverance of His people.
"And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants." — This verse is easily overlooked, but notice the specific detail about the man’s extra fingers and toes – it’s not just about his size, but a unique physical anomaly. This meticulous description ser…
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Last reviewed October 2026
