Elhanan’s episode exemplifies the theme of God enabling valiant men to accomplish great victories.
Then 2 Samuel 21:19 weaves its account into Israel’s long contest with the Philistines: “There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.” (v.19). This conflict takes place sometime during the latter years of King David’s reign around 1000 BC to 970 BC, a period marked by multiple battles against the Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17-25). The site of Gob is uncertain in biblical geography, but many scholars surmise it was located in the southwestern region of Israel near the unfolding Philistine borderlands.
The text recounts a remarkable feat by Elhanan, called “the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite,” who emerges as a warrior from David’s hometown of Bethlehem. In some manuscripts and according to a parallel account in 1 Chronicles 20:5, the reading clarifies that Elhanan slew the “brother of Goliath,” underscoring a longstanding Hebrew textual tradition that distinguishes Goliath’s famous slayer as David. Regardless of the textual nuance, the biblical writer conveys that Israel’s warriors continued their fight against giants among the Philistines, reaffirming God’s ongoing deliverance in these battles.
Goliath the Gittite is presented here as a formidable foe because “the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam,” echoing the description of the original giant Goliath confronted by David in 1 Samuel 17. This detail highlights how the Philistines posed a consistent challenge to Israel’s security. Even as David’s rule matured, the threats from powerful enemy champions persisted, yet the Lord’s protection over His people persisted as well, shown through the courageous deeds of Israelite soldiers such as Elhanan.
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2 Samuel 21:19 meaning
Then 2 Samuel 21:19 weaves its account into Israel’s long contest with the Philistines: “There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.” (v.19). This conflict takes place sometime during the latter years of King David’s reign around 1000 BC to 970 BC, a period marked by multiple battles against the Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17-25). The site of Gob is uncertain in biblical geography, but many scholars surmise it was located in the southwestern region of Israel near the unfolding Philistine borderlands.
The text recounts a remarkable feat by Elhanan, called “the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite,” who emerges as a warrior from David’s hometown of Bethlehem. In some manuscripts and according to a parallel account in 1 Chronicles 20:5, the reading clarifies that Elhanan slew the “brother of Goliath,” underscoring a longstanding Hebrew textual tradition that distinguishes Goliath’s famous slayer as David. Regardless of the textual nuance, the biblical writer conveys that Israel’s warriors continued their fight against giants among the Philistines, reaffirming God’s ongoing deliverance in these battles.
Goliath the Gittite is presented here as a formidable foe because “the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam,” echoing the description of the original giant Goliath confronted by David in 1 Samuel 17. This detail highlights how the Philistines posed a consistent challenge to Israel’s security. Even as David’s rule matured, the threats from powerful enemy champions persisted, yet the Lord’s protection over His people persisted as well, shown through the courageous deeds of Israelite soldiers such as Elhanan.