Jaare-oregim
Jaare-oregim (or Jair) was the father of Elhanan, who killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite (2Sa.21.19; 1Ch.20.5).
Biography
Jaare-oregim, whose name means 'forests of weavers,' is identified in 2 Samuel 21:19 as the father of Elhanan, the Bethlehemite warrior who slew Lahmi, the brother of Goliath the Gittite. The parallel account in 1 Chronicles 20:5 clarifies that it was Goliath's brother Lahmi, not Goliath himself, whom Elhanan killed, resolving an apparent textual tension. Jaare-oregim is thus known solely through his son's heroic deed during the wars between Israel and the Philistines in the later years of King David's reign. He lived during the United Monarchy, and his son was among the elite warriors who continued to defend Israel against the Philistine threat even after David was no longer personally leading troops into battle.
Significance
Jaare-oregim occupies a curious but instructive place in biblical history as the father of a warrior whose deed is surrounded by textual complexity. The apparent contradiction between 2 Samuel 21:19 and 1 Chronicles 20:5 has generated significant scholarly discussion about scribal transmission and textual harmonization. Theologically, Jaare-oregim and his son Elhanan remind readers that the defeat of Israel's enemies was not accomplished by David alone but through a community of committed warriors. God's protection of Israel was mediated through the courage of many unnamed or lesser-known individuals whose collective faithfulness sustained the covenant people through repeated military crisis.
Verse Appearances (2)
2Sam
1Chr
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]