2 Samuel 23:23

Hee was more honourable then the thirtie, but hee attained not to the first three: and Dauid set him ouer his guard. 2 Samuel 23:23 (KJV)

The verse “Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite” is found within the larger passage of 2 Samuel 23, a chapter that records the elite soldiers who served under King David and performed remarkable feats in battle. This chapter celebrates the exploits and achievements of David’s mighty warriors, honoring their bravery, loyalty, and the victories they secured for Israel.

In this particular verse only one individual is named: Lahmi. He is identified solely as the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the famous giant defeated by the young David in 1 Samuel 17. Apart from this brief mention, the biblical text provides no further information about Lahmi, and he is not listed among the named members of David’s mighty men.

The original presentation that includes both “Olam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite” and “Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite” as members of the list of David’s mighty men is inaccurate. In 2 Samuel 23 and 1 Chronicles 11 there is no mention of Olam as the son of Ahithophel. Ahithophel himself was a counselor who later betrayed David during Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 15:12; 16:20‑23; 17:1‑14), but the Bible does not record any son of Ahithophel named Olam, and the name does not appear in any biblical reference related to Ahithophel’s family.

Regarding Lahmi, 1 Chronicles 20:5 records that Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite. This account is a battle narrative in which Elhanan—who is listed among David’s mighty men in 2 Samuel 23:24 and 1 Chronicles 11:26—defeated Goliath’s brother. However, Lahmi himself is not identified as a warrior serving under David, nor does he appear in the roster of David’s mighty men in the cited verses.

Thus, while the verse is situated within the list of David’s mighty men, it merely names Lahmi as a relative of Goliath and does not present him as a member of the elite corps. The passage must be read with careful distinction between the broader celebration of David’s warriors and the isolated reference to Lahmi, ensuring that no unwarranted conclusions are drawn about his role in David’s army.