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Goliath
Goliath[A] (/ɡəˈlaɪəθ/ gə-LY-əth) is a Philistine giant in the Book of Samuel. Descriptions of Goliath's immense stature vary among biblical sources, with various texts describing him as either 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) or 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) tall.[1] According to the text, Goliath issued a challenge to the Israelites, daring them to send forth a champion to engage him in single combat; he was ultimately defeated by the young shepherd David, employing a sling and stone as a weapon. The narrative signified King Saul's unfitness to rule, as Saul himself should have fought for the Kingdom of Israel.[2]
Some modern scholars[who?] believe that the original slayer of Goliath may have been Elhanan, son of Jair, who features in 2 Samuel 21:19, in which Elhanan kills Goliath the Gittite,[3] and that the authors of the Deuteronomistic history changed the original text to credit the victory to the more famous figure David.[4][5]
The phrase "David and Goliath" has taken on a more popular meaning denoting an underdog situation, a contest wherein a smaller, weaker opponent faces a much bigger, stronger adversary.[6]
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- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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- ^ Finkelstein & Silberman 2007, pp. 2, 57.
- ^ Halpern 2003, p. 8.
- ^ Finkelstein & Silberman 2007, p. 196.
- ^ "David, and Goliath". Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Retrieved 11 February 2015. "used to describe a situation in which a small or weak person or organization tries to defeat another much larger or stronger opponent: The game looks like it will be a David and Goliath contest."
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