GOLIATH gə lī’ əth (גָּלְיָ֥ת). A Gittite warrior during reign of Saul (late 11th cent.). Representing the Philistines at Ephes-dammim, he challenged the Israelites in the valley of Elah (about fifteen m. W of Bethlehem) to send an opponent. His challenge went unaccepted until David visited the battleground to bring food to his brothers. David felled the giant with a stone shot from a sling and cut off his head with Goliath’s own sword (1 Sam 17).

The height of Goliath was six cubits and a span, over nine feet (17:4). His coat of mail was 5,000 shekels, about 125 pounds; his spearhead, 600 shekels, about 15 pounds (17:5, 7). His sword was kept at Nob under priestly jurisdiction and later given to David by Ahimelech, the priest, when David fled from Saul (1 Sam 21:9; 22:10).

In 2 Samuel 21:19 the slaying of Goliath is attributed to Elhanan, but in 1 Chronicles 20:5 Elhanan slew Lahmi, brother of Goliath. The passages appear to come from one source and the critical difference may have been the miscopying of a few consonants. If 2 Samuel is correct as stands, this Goliath could have been a son of David’s opponent.

This event illustrates warfare of the time; that most of the army was ill-trained and no match for the well-trained elite who often engaged in individual combat. (Note Egyp. Sinuhe and Homerian battles.) Thus, Jonathan could fight the Philistine garrison single-handed (1 Sam 14:6-15), and Moses withstood a number of shepherds (Exod 2:16-19). These men depended on God, but their attempts were not foolhardy; rather they were acting rationally and therefore could expect God’s help.

Bibliography E. J. Young, Introduction to the Old Testament (1963), 197, 198; Y. Yadin, The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands (1963).