Who was Elhanan in the bible?
Elhanan is an Israelite named among David’s mighty men and noted in battles with the Philistines in 1 Chronicles 11:26; 20:5; 2 Samuel 21:19; 23:24.
Warfare Record
In Philistine war, “Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite” (1 Chronicles 20:5). A parallel notes “Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother” (2 Samuel 21:19).
Learn More →Name Meaning
Strong’s derives Elhanan from elements meaning God is gracious, using terms for God/strength and showing kindness. The identity gloss describes him as an Israelite.
Learn More →Elhanan (Elchanan) is presented as an Israelite whose name is associated with the sense that God is gracious. In Scripture he appears among David’s “mighty men,” and he is also named in accounts of wars with the Philistines.
Elhanan in Scripture
Elhanan is first named within lists of notable warriors. In the roster of “the mighty men of the armies,” Elhanan is identified by lineage and hometown.
“The mighty men of the armies also include Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,” (1 Chronicles 11:26, WEB)
The immediate setting emphasizes honor and military distinction among David’s men. Just before Elhanan is named, the text says of Benaiah, “had a name among the three mighty men” (1 Chronicles 11:24), and adds, “he was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three; and David set him over his guard” (1 Chronicles 11:25). Elhanan appears as part of the same honored group that continues with other identified warriors (1 Chronicles 11:27–29).
A second set of references places an Elhanan within a sequence of conflicts with the Philistines. In Chronicles, the narrative moves from David’s actions against the children of Ammon (1 Chronicles 20:3) to renewed war against the Philistines (1 Chronicles 20:4–8). After noting a victory at Gezer—“Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, of the sons of the giant; and they were subdued” (1 Chronicles 20:4)—the account continues to another battle where Elhanan is singled out for a killing described in detail.
“Again there was war with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.” (1 Chronicles 20:5, WEB)
This appears as part of a chain of engagements: after Elhanan’s act, the text reports “again” another war at Gath and another notable killing (1 Chronicles 20:6–7), concluding, “These were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants” (1 Chronicles 20:8). In this framing, Elhanan’s deed is one example among several defeats inflicted on formidable Philistine figures during these wars.
A parallel account in Samuel similarly places Elhanan within “again” a renewed conflict with the Philistines, in a stretch of narrative that includes the help given to David in battle and multiple encounters with warriors “of the sons of the giant” (2 Samuel 21:17–22). The passage begins with David being aided—“But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine, and killed him” (2 Samuel 21:17)—and then moves to further wars and notable victories.
“After this, there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant.” (2 Samuel 21:18, WEB)
“There was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.” (2 Samuel 21:19, WEB)
The Samuel narrative continues with another battle at Gath involving a man “of great stature” and concludes with a summary much like Chronicles: “These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants” (2 Samuel 21:22). Within this sequence, Elhanan is explicitly described as “the Bethlehemite” and is credited with killing “Goliath the Gittite’s brother” (2 Samuel 21:19), with the distinctive note that the spear’s staff “was like a weaver’s beam.”
Elhanan also appears again in Samuel in a list of “the thirty,” where he is placed next to Asahel and identified by the same father and hometown as in Chronicles.
“Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty: Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,” (2 Samuel 23:24, WEB)
The surrounding lines again highlight the reputation of these men and David’s organization of them: “Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men” (2 Samuel 23:22), and, “he was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard” (2 Samuel 23:23). Elhanan appears within the same honored roster that continues with other named figures (2 Samuel 23:25–27).
Multiple Bearers
The passages attribute different parentage to an Elhanan. In the warrior lists, Elhanan is “the son of Dodo of Bethlehem” (1 Chronicles 11:26; 2 Samuel 23:24). In the battle accounts, Elhanan is “the son of Jair” (1 Chronicles 20:5) and “the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite” (2 Samuel 21:19). The texts thus present Elhanan under more than one paternal identification, while consistently associating at least one Elhanan with Bethlehem and crediting an Elhanan with killing a relative of “Goliath the Gittite” in war (1 Chronicles 20:5; 2 Samuel 21:19).
Name and Meaning
The name is written אֶלְחָנָן, transliterated ‘Elchanan (Elhanan), and pronounced el-khaw-nawn. Its derivation combines ‘el (אֵל), a term associated with strength or might, with chanan (חָנַן), a verb associated with showing kindness or favor; taken together, the name expresses the idea that God is gracious.
Observation
Across both the lists of “the thirty” and the battle narratives, Elhanan is remembered in connection with David’s circle of distinguished warriors and with repeated victories “again” in wars with the Philistines (1 Chronicles 11:26; 1 Chronicles 20:5; 2 Samuel 21:19; 2 Samuel 23:24).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Elhanan mean?
Elhanan means “God is gracious.”
How many times does Elhanan appear in the Bible?
Elhanan appears 4 times.
Who was Elhanan?
Elhanan is an Israelite named among the mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:26; 2 Samuel 23:24). He is called “the son of Dodo of Bethlehem” in those lists.
What is Elhanan known for in battle?
In war with the Philistines, Elhanan “killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite” (1 Chronicles 20:5).
Explore Further
If you found this page about Elhanan interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.
Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
