I Samuel 17:1-31
“Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.” (I Samuel 17:1-7)
The Philistines and the Israelite armies camped on the hills on either side of the valley of Elah, Goliath went out to intimidate the Israelite army. At about nine feet eight, he was huge compared to a people whose average height was about five eight or five ten. Israel had chosen Saul to lead them because he was a foot taller than any of the rest was nearly three feet shorter. Some doubt the stated size, but Guiness Book of records measured Robert Wadlow of the United States at 8’11.1” in 1940. The current tallest man in the world is Sultan Kosen of Turkey who was measured when he was 17 in 2011. At that time he was 8’3”, and may be taller now. When Wadlow died of an infection at the age of 22, he was still growing.
That Goliath was tremendously strong is demonstrated by the fact that his chain mail coat weighed about a hundred twenty five pounds and his spear head weighed fifteen pounds, nearly as much as a medium sledge hammer or men’s shotput. It was affixed to a shaft several inches in diameter. Most people would find it difficult to throw more than a few feet. With brass leg guards and a brass breastplate, he looked nearly invincible.
Goliath seems to have been descended from the Anakims, the giants who had terrified Israel over six hundred years before. Joshua 11:22 tells us that some had survived among the Philistines. David and his men would later kill four more giants.
“And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” (I Samuel 17:8-11)
Goliath set out to intimidate the children of Israel, defying the entire army and daring them to send their greatest warrior to fight him. He offered that if anyone could beat him the entire Philistine army would surrender. They were definitely intimidated by his size and confidence, and were afraid to engage in battle.
“Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.” (I Samuel 17:12-16)
David’s father Jesse was considered an old man in Saul’s day. Because David was the youngest of eight boys and was too young for military service, he was sent home during the fight with the Philistines, despite his official position as armor bearer to Saul. Three of his older brothers were inducted into the army, however, and the two armies had confronted each other for forty days, although neither was willing to commit to all out war.
“And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.” (I Samuel 17:17-21)
In the past Israel’s soldiers had always bee responsible for their own provisions, as a volunteer army with no central government. Jesse sent David to take provisions to his sons, and to collect their paychecks. He also sent some cheeses to their commanding officer. David arrived just as the two armies were preparing to engage each other.
“And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.” (I Samuel 17:22-25)
Just after David arrived, Goliath renewed his challenge, confident it would not be accepted but to further intimidate them. The Israelites were openly discussing Saul’s offer to anyone who would accept the challenge, but no one was offering to take him up on it.
“And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (I Samuel 17:26)
David asked who Goliath thought he was that he dared to defy God and his army. It was an insult to Israel’s God that he dared defy them in such a manner. Notice the difference in David’s perspective and that of Saul when he said, “Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies.”
“And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.” (I Samuel 17:27-28)
Eliab was really stung by David’s comments and accused him of just running off from his job to see the battle. After all, no one likes to be put down or thought coward by their little brother.
“And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.” (I Samuel 17:29-31)
David wasn’t calling anyone chicken, he just thought it ridiculous that even a Giant thought he could defy God, and that by not stopping him, the Israelites were encouraging him. After all, God had saved them from far more than one giant numerous times. Saul heard about what David had said and called him in to see who was daring to make sjuc comments.
“Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.” (I Samuel 17:1-7)
The Philistines and the Israelite armies camped on the hills on either side of the valley of Elah, Goliath went out to intimidate the Israelite army. At about nine feet eight, he was huge compared to a people whose average height was about five eight or five ten. Israel had chosen Saul to lead them because he was a foot taller than any of the rest was nearly three feet shorter. Some doubt the stated size, but Guiness Book of records measured Robert Wadlow of the United States at 8’11.1” in 1940. The current tallest man in the world is Sultan Kosen of Turkey who was measured when he was 17 in 2011. At that time he was 8’3”, and may be taller now. When Wadlow died of an infection at the age of 22, he was still growing.
That Goliath was tremendously strong is demonstrated by the fact that his chain mail coat weighed about a hundred twenty five pounds and his spear head weighed fifteen pounds, nearly as much as a medium sledge hammer or men’s shotput. It was affixed to a shaft several inches in diameter. Most people would find it difficult to throw more than a few feet. With brass leg guards and a brass breastplate, he looked nearly invincible.
Goliath seems to have been descended from the Anakims, the giants who had terrified Israel over six hundred years before. Joshua 11:22 tells us that some had survived among the Philistines. David and his men would later kill four more giants.
“And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” (I Samuel 17:8-11)
Goliath set out to intimidate the children of Israel, defying the entire army and daring them to send their greatest warrior to fight him. He offered that if anyone could beat him the entire Philistine army would surrender. They were definitely intimidated by his size and confidence, and were afraid to engage in battle.
“Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.” (I Samuel 17:12-16)
David’s father Jesse was considered an old man in Saul’s day. Because David was the youngest of eight boys and was too young for military service, he was sent home during the fight with the Philistines, despite his official position as armor bearer to Saul. Three of his older brothers were inducted into the army, however, and the two armies had confronted each other for forty days, although neither was willing to commit to all out war.
“And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.” (I Samuel 17:17-21)
In the past Israel’s soldiers had always bee responsible for their own provisions, as a volunteer army with no central government. Jesse sent David to take provisions to his sons, and to collect their paychecks. He also sent some cheeses to their commanding officer. David arrived just as the two armies were preparing to engage each other.
“And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.” (I Samuel 17:22-25)
Just after David arrived, Goliath renewed his challenge, confident it would not be accepted but to further intimidate them. The Israelites were openly discussing Saul’s offer to anyone who would accept the challenge, but no one was offering to take him up on it.
“And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (I Samuel 17:26)
David asked who Goliath thought he was that he dared to defy God and his army. It was an insult to Israel’s God that he dared defy them in such a manner. Notice the difference in David’s perspective and that of Saul when he said, “Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies.”
“And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.” (I Samuel 17:27-28)
Eliab was really stung by David’s comments and accused him of just running off from his job to see the battle. After all, no one likes to be put down or thought coward by their little brother.
“And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.” (I Samuel 17:29-31)
David wasn’t calling anyone chicken, he just thought it ridiculous that even a Giant thought he could defy God, and that by not stopping him, the Israelites were encouraging him. After all, God had saved them from far more than one giant numerous times. Saul heard about what David had said and called him in to see who was daring to make sjuc comments.
David here demonstrates what the NT calls walking by faith,; whereas the soldiers in Saul's army were walking by sight. Sight alone would be a compelling reason to flee from Goliath, but as the writer of Hebrews said of Moses, David persevered because he looked past the circumstance to Him who is invisible.
ReplyDeleteSo often we get discouraged because we forget it's God's fight, not just ours.
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