Elhanan

AI summary: This Elhanan matters because the cross references place him in one of the textual cruxes of the Old Testament, where the memory of giant-slaying is preserved in slightly different forms between Samuel and Chronicles. Whatever the precise textual history, the tradition clearly remembers him as a formidable warrior in David's later conflicts. Taken together, the material presents this Elhanan as a heroic fighter whose name stands inside the complicated but enduring war-memory of David's age.¹

A warrior of the time of David famed for his exploits. In the Authorized Version (2 Sam. 21:19) it is recorded that “Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath.” The Revised Version here rightly omits the words “the brother of.” They were introduced in the Authorized Version to bring this passage into agreement with 1 Chr. 20:5, where it is said that he “slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath.” Goliath the Gittite was killed by David (1 Sam. 17). The exploit of Elhanan took place late in David’s reign. ³