Contradictions and Paradoxes in 1 Samuel 17:2

Check out Contradictions Catalog of 1 Samuel 17:2 for the comprehensive list of verses that contradicts 1 Samuel 17:2. Some key contradictions and paradoxes are described below.

According to the author of 1 Samuel, this verse tells us that King Saul and his army got ready for a big fight against their enemies, the Philistines, by setting up their camp in a place called the valley of Elah. They were getting organized and prepared to face their opponents in battle.

1 Samuel 17:2: And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. [set...: Heb. ranged the battle]

Contradiction with 2 Samuel 21:19

This verse implies that someone other than David killed Goliath, which contradicts the account of 1 Samuel 17 where David is depicted as the slayer of Goliath.

2 Samuel 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. [Jaareoregim: or, Jair]

Contradiction with 1 Chronicles 20:5

Similar to 2 Samuel 21:19, this verse suggests that a different individual killed the giant Goliath, challenging the narrative that David was the one who achieved this feat in 1 Samuel 17.

1 Chronicles 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. [Jair: also called, Jaareoregim]
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