Some traditions identify Elhanan as David. This view is mainly based on two points. Elhanan was from Bethlehem, and David is described elsewhere as the one who killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17:48–51). However, a different explanation is more likely. The words brother of were probably left out of the Masoretic Text by a scribal error (a copying mistake). This would explain why Elhanan appears to be described as killing Goliath in another passage.