Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4–7; 1 Samuel 17:8–11; 1 Samuel 17:16; 1 Samuel 17:23–27; 1 Samuel 17:32–40; 1 Samuel 17:41–47; 1 Samuel 17:48–54; 1 Samuel 21:8–9; 1 Samuel 22:9–10; 2 Samuel 21:19; 1 Chronicles 20:5)

The Philistine Champion of Gath

A champion of the Philistines, of Gath, who defied the armies of Israel in the vale of Elah, disdained David, was struck down by a stone from David's sling, and whose sword was afterward kept behind the ephod at Nob.

He is introduced in a single verse: “there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span” (1 Samuel 17:4). The text describes his helmet and coat of mail, his greaves and javelin of brass, and a spear whose staff was “like a weaver’s beam” (1 Samuel 17:7). He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together” (1 Samuel 17:10), and “when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid” (1 Samuel 17:11).

David, sent to the camp, heard him and went out against him. Goliath “disdained him; for he was but a youth” (1 Samuel 17:42), cursed David by his gods, and said, “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field” (1 Samuel 17:44). David answered in the name of the LORD of hosts; a stone from his sling sank into Goliath's forehead, and David took Goliath's own sword and cut off his head (1 Samuel 17:45-51).

His sword appears again at Nob, where the priest told David, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the vale of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod” (1 Samuel 21:9). Goliath the Gittite is named twice more. One verse reads, “Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim the Beth-lehemite slew Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam” (2 Samuel 21:19); the other reads, “Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam” (1 Chronicles 20:5).

Weaknesses

• Disdain for David
• Cursed David by his gods

Themes

• Defiance of Israel's armies
• The champion's challenge
• The LORD's battle
• The sling and the stone
• The sword at Nob

Comes out of the Philistine camp (1 Samuel 17:1–7)

The Philistines and Israel are drawn up across a valley, and Goliath of Gath goes out from the Philistine camp, armed in brass with a spear like a weaver's beam.

Defies the armies of Israel (1 Samuel 17:8–11)

Goliath cries to the armies of Israel to choose a man to fight him, saying that the side whose man is killed shall serve the other; Saul and all Israel are dismayed and greatly afraid.

Defies the armies of Israel

“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” (1 Samuel 17:8).

“If he be able to fight with me, and 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” (1 Samuel 17:9).

“And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid” (1 Samuel 17:10-11).

Comes up again and Israel flees (1 Samuel 17:16; 1 Samuel 17:23–27)

Goliath draws near morning and evening for forty days; when he comes up and speaks the same words, the men of Israel flee from him, and David asks what shall be done for the man who kills him.

David offers to fight him (1 Samuel 17:32–40)

David tells Saul he will fight this Philistine; Saul says David is but a youth and Goliath a man of war from his youth, and David puts off Saul's armor and draws near with his staff, five smooth stones and his sling.

Disdains David (1 Samuel 17:41–47)

Goliath looks about, sees David and disdains him as a youth, curses him by his gods, and promises his flesh to the birds and the beasts; David answers in the name of the LORD of hosts.

Disdains David

“And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal of a fair countenance” (1 Samuel 17:41-42).

“And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the field” (1 Samuel 17:43-44).

“Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (1 Samuel 17:45).

Falls to David's stone and his own sword (1 Samuel 17:48–54)

David runs toward the Philistine and slings a stone that sinks into his forehead; with no sword in his hand David takes Goliath's sword and cuts off his head, and the Philistines flee.

Falls to David's stone and his own sword

“And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth” (1 Samuel 17:49).

“So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled” (1 Samuel 17:50-51).

The men of Israel and of Judah pursued the Philistines, and returned and plundered their camp (1 Samuel 17:52-53). “And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent” (1 Samuel 17:54).

His sword kept at Nob (1 Samuel 21:8–9; 1 Samuel 22:9–10)

David asks Ahimelech the priest for a spear or sword; the priest says the sword of Goliath is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod, and David asks for it; Doeg later tells that Ahimelech gave it to him.

His sword kept at Nob

David said to Ahimelech, “is there not here under thy hand spear or sword?” (1 Samuel 21:8). “And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the vale of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me” (1 Samuel 21:9).

Doeg the Edomite, who stood by the servants of Saul, said that he saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob (1 Samuel 22:9). Of Ahimelech he said that “he inquired of Jehovah for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine” (1 Samuel 22:10).

David (1 Samuel 17:42–51; 1 Samuel 21:9)

The youth Goliath disdained, who ran toward him, struck him with a stone and cut off his head with Goliath's own sword.

Saul (1 Samuel 17:8–11; 1 Samuel 17:32–37)

Goliath called Israel servants to Saul; Saul was dismayed at his words and told David that Goliath was a man of war from his youth.

The armies of Israel (1 Samuel 17:8–10; 1 Samuel 17:23–24)

Goliath defied them and asked for a man to fight him; the men of Israel fled from him when he came up.

His shield-bearer (1 Samuel 17:7; 1 Samuel 17:41)

The man that bare the shield went before Goliath when he came on and drew near unto David.

The Philistines (1 Samuel 17:4; 1 Samuel 17:51–52)

Goliath went out from their camp, and when they saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

Major sections

• 1 Samuel 17
• 1 Samuel 21:8–9
• 1 Samuel 22:9–10
• 2 Samuel 21:19
• 1 Chronicles 20:5

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