In our Biblical studies, we now return to the book of First Samuel.
The Size of Goliath
The Philistines were arrayed for battle on the level ground on one side of the valley. The Hebrews on the other side of the valley, also ready for battle. Neither side was willing to take the initiative because the attacking army had a distinct disadvantage; In the middle of the broad, open valley we found a deep trench with vertical sides, impassable except at certain places—a valley in a valley, and a natural barrier between the two hosts. The Pulpit Commentary.
The attacking army would be caught in the ravine and the defending army would have a natural advantage. To overcome that obstacle Goliath offered a "one on one" combat. The agreement was that whichever soldier lost that fight, that soldier's country would be servants of the country whose soldier won.
Goliath was no ordinary man! In our measure his height was eight feet five and one-third inches; for the cubit is sixteen inches, and the span (really the hand-breadth) is five and one-third inches. The Pulpit Commentary.
Or, try these on for size: Bishop Cumberland has made it out that the scripture-cubit was above twenty-one inches ... and a span was half a cubit, by which computation Goliath was ... eleven feet and four inches, a monstrous stature. Matthew Henry.
He was armed with a coat of mail. Literally, "clothed in a shirt of scales". The weight of which was "Five thousand shekels of brass". Really copper, as brass was then unknown. ... the shekel is equal to two-thirds of an ounce. This would make the corselet (coat of mail) weigh at least two hundred weight. The Pulpit Commentary
The weight of his coat of mail is estimated at more than one hundred and fifty pounds. Expositors Bible Commentary.
The coat is said to weigh 5000 shekels, and a shekel was half an ounce avoirdupois, (that is, 16 ounces per pound, or about 156 pounds). Matthew Henry.
Little David
The youth, David, was willing to take him on. 1 Sam. 17:33. His reason was that Goliath had defied the armies of the living God. 17:36. David was suited up in a regular soldiers armour. However, it was just too heavy and awkward for his slight build. He removed the armour and gathered five smooth stones, probably from the stream in the ravine at the bottom of the valley. 17:39. The sides and bed of this trench are strewn with rounded and waterworn pebbles, which would have been well fitted for David’s sling. The Pulpit Commentary.
Just before the contest began Goliath ridiculed David, and this humiliation simply served to galvanize David's mettle. He replied to that insult by saying, Jehovah will deliver you into my hand today, and I will strike you ... so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 17:46.
David's sling is often called a slingshot, but that is a misnomer. It had no rubber bands which he could stretch to "fling" the stone. Rather, after putting the stone into the sling he twirled the sling, to work up speed, and at exactly the right instant he let go one end of the sling, and after that, it was up to the stone to do its work.
Goliath was dead and the promise was that the country that lost "the one soldier" would be servants to the winning side. It is only 46 verses later that he have these words recorded, And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines, and killed them with a great slaughter. And they fled from him. 19:8. That sounds a lot like the peace treaties we hear about in our day.
Here you see jealousy in the extreme. David, the leader of the army, had just "pulled off" an incursion, for Israel's sake, into enemy territory and right after that Saul, the king, tried to kill David. This happened because, while Saul was still on the throne, the populace chanted things like, Saul has killed a thousand enemies but David has killed ten thousand enemies. 21:11.
Jonathan, Saul's son, tried to reason with his father, saying, Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause? And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. And Saul swore, As Jehovah lives, he shall not die. 1 Sam. 19:6 -7.
That promise, however, did not last; only two verses later we read, And the evil spirit from Jehovah was on Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David played the harp, with his hand. And Saul thought to strike David even to the wall with the spear. But he, David, burst forth from Saul's presence, and he, Saul, struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night. 1 Sa 19:9-10.
We have all heard of a man and his son-in-law not getting along, but this is really taking it to the extreme.
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