Goliath's 4 Brothers?

[Ukulelemike]

"Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint. And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel. And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant. 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. And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him. These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants."  (2Sam 21:15-22)

So we see here Ishbibenob, Saph, Lahmi, and Mr Six-Toes, all said to be born of 'the giant', and one, specifically, Lahmi, (though not mentioned by name here, but he is in 1Chron 20:5), being referred to specifically as the brother of Goliath, AND born to 'the giant in Gath', and all in the same context, so we know they aren't speaking of a different giant.  Therefore we can be assured that Goliath had four brothers, at least.

[Genevanpreacher]

This is why David picked 5 smooth stones, in case Goliaths brothers decided to chime in...atleast that's what I heard preached once...about 3 decades ago...o boy am I old!

"And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine." (1 Sam. 17:40)

Edited September 15, 2016 by Genevanpreacher

[Guest Just a Servant]

David had 5 stones. This wasn't because he expected to miss. He obviously didn't, as he was confident, not in his skills, but in his God. Most believe this was a measure of precaution, for if Goliath was slain his brothers may have gone after David. We also see in Joshua 13:3, that there were 5 "lords of the Philistines," and that was most likely a reference to the 5 giants. We even see all but one of them named. There was Lahmi (1 Chronicles 20:5), Ishbi-benob (2 Samuel 21:16), Sippai [also called Saph (1 Chronicles 20:4 + 2 Samuel 21:18)], and there was the unnamed one (1 Chronicles 20:6-7).