Why do Christians say that David killed Goliath? NIV 2 Samuel 21:19 says that David did not kill Goliath?

Question

2 Samuel 21:19
19In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim [c] the Bethlehemite killed Goliath [d] the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver's rod. (NIV)

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%2021;&version=31

Answer 1

Sorry but.....

According to Scripture, David definately killed Goliath

Answer 2

What your looking at is Goliaths brother being killed, or it could be the same people with an alias name.It was common at that time for a man to have two or more names because they did not have last names at that time.

"And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam" 2 Samuel 21:19 KJV.

"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" 2 Samuel 21:19 NASB.

NIV Dictionary states that the Goliath in 2 Sam. 21:19 was probably the son of Goliath.

This is a very good question and I would like to study on it some more.In the mean while I give you a star to provide your question a little more exposure.

HOPE THIS HELPS YOU<> IT DID ME
"In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the {brother of Goliath} the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver's rod" 1 Chr. 20:5NIV.

ALSO KJV.
1Ch 20:5 And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the {brother of Goliath} the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam.

Answer 3

How about this. The Hebrew Torah and the Naviim were not put to writing in the form that we have them today until sometime during 6th century BCE or after. Over the course of the four hundred years or more between the death of Goliath and the writing down in final form of the Torah and the Naviim, two traditions arose about the death of Goliath. One tradition had David as the killer (1st Samuel) while another had Elhanan as the killer (2nd Samuel). Perhaps some books of the Ketuvim were also put in writing at this time. Perhaps later. In any case, whenever the books of the Ketuvim were put into their final form, the differences between the two stories were explained by the author of Chronicles. This explanation is just as likely as the scribal errors explanation and the David and Elhanan were the same person explanation. It doesn't affect the fact that the Israelites slew the hero of the Philistines and went on to establish a nation whose unity did not for very long endure.

Answer 4

1. The son of Jair who, in war with the Philistines, struck down Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite. (1Ch 20:5) In 2 Samuel 21:19 Elhanan is identified as “the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite,” and it is said that he struck down Goliath. However, many scholars think that the original reading of 2 Samuel 21:19 corresponded to 1 Chronicles 20:5, the differences in the two texts having arisen through scribal error

Answer 5

There are a couple of explanations for this. First of all, the same story in 1st Chronicles has Elhanan killing Lahmi, a brother of Goliath (1st Chronicles 20.5). Perhaps somewhere along the way the story in 2nd Samuel was rewritten or mistranslated.

Also, you may recall that the story of David killing Goliath occurred when David was young, and Saul was king (1st Samuel 17). This battle described in 2nd Samuel occurs when David is king ... many years later. Also, 2nd Samuel 21.22 tells us that this Goliath, along with others, was a descendant of giants; perhaps this Goliath was the son of the one David killed.

In the great scheme of things, what does it matter? Does the identity of the slayer of Goliath have anything to do with your salvation?


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Answer 6

Did it ever occur to you that there is more than one person in history named Goliath?
The Goliath that David killed was from Gath and was a Philistine.

1 Samuel 21:9
The priest replied, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one." David said, "There is none like it; give it to me."

Answer 7

The footnote to that scripture right in the NIV says -

(b) Hebrew and Septuagint; 1 Chron. 20:5 son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath

Answer 8

incorrect translation, tis why I don't not rely on the Niv.

2Sa 21:19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew [the brother of] Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear [was] like a weaver's beam.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/versions.pl?book=2Sa&chapter=21&verse=19&version=KJV#19

Answer 9

try the KJV
And there was again battle ( different one) in Gob with the Philistines where El-ha nan the son of Ja-ar e-or e-gfm a Bethlahmite, slew the brother of Go li ath.
And that's what comes from studying the Niv as compared to the KJV. Try the American Standard if KJ is too hard for you Sara.
Or were you just trying to start something with an untruth.

Answer 10

There was more than one person in the Bible with the name Goliath. It appears that it is the LAST name of the man, not his first name. It states that there were five brothers who were all giant in size. David slayed one of them in 2 Samuel 21. The other four are slain by soliders who served under David in later battles.

Answer 11

There was more than one Goliath so to speak. Goliath had brothers. There was a family of them. Read Samuel in full please.

19And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the BROTHER of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver' beam.
20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and HE ALSO WAS BORN TO THE GIANT
21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.
22 These four were BORN TO THE GIANT in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.