This is an excerpt from an upcoming book by Kevin McKinney in which he examines the historical accuracy of the battle between David and Goliath. In this segment he looks at a potential contradiction in the biblical text.
The Bible records the victory of David over Goliath, but does it contradict itself? Does the Bible credit two different people with killing Goliath? Is there a contradiction on how David actually killed Goliath? These are questions, and doubts raised by critics of the Bible. On the surface, each claim seems to have merit, yet upon further investigation an explanation reveals itself.
We will first address the question of who killed Goliath. Throughout this text I have been saying David killed Goliath with a sling. This account is recorded in the Bible, but critics will point out the Bible also gives credit for the deed to someone else. In the NIV version of the Bible 2 Samuel records that Elhanan killed Goliath.
"In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregimthe Bethlehemite killed Goliaththe Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod." 2 Samuel 21:19 (NIV 1984)
This text clearly tells us Goliath was killed by Elhanan. It is confirmed Goliath was a Gittite, someone from the city of Gath, and carried a spear with a shaft like a weaver's rod. Obviously, both this account and the account of David killing Goliath cannot be accurate. This as seen by some as an inconsistency in the biblical narrative and reason enough to doubt its validity.
Rather than a discrepancy in the scripture, this again seems to be an error in the translation. The New International Version 1984 omits a small portion of the scripture. When we look at the New International Version we see three additional words of text. Now rather than Goliath being killed by Elhanan, the person Elhanan slayes the brother of Goliath. This could be a minor error/omission in translation, but it completely alters the text.
"In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jairthe Bethlehemite killed the brother of] Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod". - 2 Samuel 21:19 (NIV)
We now have two versions of one story, so which translation is correct. For confirmation of which is the correct translation we can look at other translations. In the KJV translation Elhanan slays the brother of Goliath, matching the text from the NIV.
"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)
Rather than looking strictly at translations of the same story, we can also look elsewhere in the Bible to find our answers. In 1 Chronicles we once again find the story of Elhanan. In Chronicles, like the NIV and KJV we see it is the brother of Goliath that is killed rather than Goliath himself.
"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." 1 Chronicles 20:5 (KJV)
The contradiction is non-existent and appears to be an error in translation. Actually rather than an error in translation it seems to be more of an omission.
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