Difference between revisions of "Goliath"

<p> Perhaps a descendant of the old Rephaim, a remnant of whom, when dispersed by Ammon, took refuge with the [[Philistines]] (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 2:20-21; &nbsp;2 Samuel 21:22). [[Hebrew]] golleh means "an exile". Simonis derives it from an Arabic root, "stout." [[Gath]] is incidentally mentioned in Samuel as Goliath's city. Now Moses records the spies' report (&nbsp;Numbers 13:32-33) of Canaan, "there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which came of the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers." Again in &nbsp;Joshua 11:21-22 it is written, "Joshua cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, ... there was none of the Anakims left in the land of Israel, only in Gath and in [[Ashdod]] there remained." </p> <p> Thus three independent witnesses, Moses, Joshua, and Samuel, in the most undesigned way confirm the fact that [[Goliath]] was a giant of Gath. His height, six cubits and a span, would make 9 ft. 2 in. Parisian measure, a height not unparalleled. But [[Septuagint]] and [[Josephus]] read four cubits and a span. His coat of mail, covering chest, back, and lower parts of the body, was "scale armor," qasqeseth (compare &nbsp;Leviticus 11:9-10). Keil and Delitzsch for "target of brass" translated (kidown ) "a brazen lance." Goliath needed no target to cover his back, as this was protected by the coat of mail. On the scene of battle (See [[Elah]] ; on the battle, etc., (See [[David]] and (See [[Elhanan]] .) </p>

<li> In &nbsp;2 Samuel 21:19 there is another giant of the same name mentioned as slain by Elhanan. The staff of his apear "was like a weaver's beam." The Authorized Version interpolates the words "the brother of" from &nbsp; 1 Chronicles 20:5 , where this giant is called Lahmi. <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Goliath'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/g/goliath.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> [[Goliath]] (''Go-Lî'Ath'' ), ''Splendor.'' A giant of Gath, who for forty days defied the armies of Israel. &nbsp;1 Samuel 17:1-58. His height was "six cubits and a span," which, taking- the cubit at 18 inches, would make him 9½ feet high. In &nbsp;2 Samuel 21:19 we find that another Goliath of Gath was slain by Elhanan, also a Bethlehemite. </p>

<p> (Heb. Golyath', גָּלְיִת; Sept. Γολιάθ, Josephus Γολίαθος ''),'' a famous giant of Gath, who "morning and evening for forty days" defied the armies of Israel; but was eventually slain by David, in the remarkable encounter, with a sling (1 Samuel 17). B.C. 1063. Although repeatedly called a Philistine, he was possibly descended from the old Rephaim, of whom a scattered remnant took refuge with the Philistines after their dispersion by the [[Ammonites]] (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 2:20-21; &nbsp;2 Samuel 21:22). Some trace of this condition may be preserved in the giant's name, if it be connected with גּוֹלֶה, ''An Exile,'' as thought by [[Gesenius]] ''(Thes. Heb.'' page 285). Simonis, however, derives it from an Arabic word meaning stout (Onom. s.v.); while Fü rst merely indicates it as of Philistian etymology (Heb, Lex. s.v.). Hitzig (Gesch. u. Mythol. der Philist. page 76) regards it as merely= Γαυλεύτης, i.e''., Sorcerer.'' His height was "six cubits and a span," which, taking the cubit at 21 inches, would make him 10 1/2 feet high. But the Sept. (at &nbsp;1 Samuel 17:4) and Josephus ''(Ant.'' 6:9,1) read "[[Four]] cubits and a span." 'This will make him about the same- size as the royal champion slain by Anetimenidas, brother of Alceus ''(Ἀπολείποντα Μίαν Μόνον Παχέων Ἀπὸ Πἐμπων'' ap. Strabo, 13, page 617, with Mü ller's emendation). Even on this computation Goliath would be, as Josephus calls him, ἀνὴρ παμμεγεθἐστατος — a truly enormous man. (See Wichmannshausen, De armatura Gol. Viteb. 1711.) After the victory David cut off Goliath's head (&nbsp;1 Samuel 17:51; compare Herod. 4:6; Xenoph. ''Anab.'' 5:4, 17; Niebuhr mentions a similar custom among the Arabs, ''Beschr.'' page 304), which he brought (1 Samel 17:54) to [[Jerusalem]] (probably after his accession to the throne, Ewald, ''Gesch.'' 3:94), while he hung the armor in his tent. (See [[Fight]]). His sword was afterwards received by David in a great emergency from the hands of [[Ahimelech]] at Nob, where it had been preserved as a religious trophy. (&nbsp;1 Samuel 21:9). (See [[Giant]]). The scene of this famous combat (see Trendelenburg, De pugna Dav. cum. Goliatho, Gedan. 1792) was the Valley of the Terebinth, between [[Shochoh]] and Azekah, probably among the western passes of Benjamin, although a confused modern tradition has given, the name of Ain-Jahlad (spring of Goliath)to the spring of Harod, or "trembling" (Stanley, Palest. page 342; see &nbsp;Judges 7:1). (See [[Valley Of Elah]]). </p> <p> This modern name, however, may rather be (=the spring of Gilead) a reminiscence of Gideon's exploit (&nbsp;Judges 7:3). (See [[Gilead]]). The circumstances of the combat (q.v.) are in all respects. Homeric, free from any of the puerile legends which Oriental imagination subseqtuently introduced into it; as, for instance, that the stones used by David called out to him from the brook, "By our means you shall slay the giant," etc. (Hottinger, ''Hist. Orient.'' 1:3, page 111 sq.). The fancies of the Rabbis are yet more extraordinary. By the Mohammedans Saul and Goliath are called Taluth and Kaluth (Jalut in Koran, 2:131 sq.), perhaps for the sake of the homoioteleuton, of which they are so fond (Hottinger, Hist. Orient. 1:3, page 28). Abulfeda mentions a [[Canaanite]] king of the name Jalut (Hist. Anteislam, page 176); and, according to [[Ahmed]] al-Fassi, Gialout was a dynastic name of the old giant- chiefs of the Philistines (D'Herbelot, Bibl. Or. s.v. Gialout). In the title of the psalm added to the psalter in the Sept. we find τῷ Δαυϊ v δ πρὸς τὸν Γολιάδ; and although the allusions are vagne, it is thought by some that this psalm may have been written after the victory. This psalm is given at length under DAVID, page 687 (see Hilscher, ''Psa. Centes. Quinquages. Prim. Illustr., Acced. Vita Goliathi,'' Bautzen, 1716). It is strange that we find no more definite. allusions to this combat in Hebrew poetry; but it is the opinion of some that the song now attributed to [[Hannah]] (&nbsp;1 Samuel 2:1-10) was originally written really in commemoration of David's triumph on this occasion (Thenius, Die Bü cher Sam, page 8; comp. Bertholdt, Einl, 3:915; Ewald, Poet. Bü cher des A.B. 1:111). (See Psalms). </p> <p> In &nbsp;2 Samuel 21:19, we find that another Goliath of Gath, of whom it is also said that "the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam," was slain by Elhanan, also a Bethlehemite. St. [[Jerome]] ''(Quaest. Heb'' ad loc.) makes the unlikely conjecture that Elhanan was another name of David. The A.V. here interpolates the words "the brother of," from &nbsp;1 Chronicles 20:5, where this giant is called "Lahmi." See Stiebritz, ''Die Davidische Erlegung Des Goliath'S'' (Halle, 1742). (See Elhanan). </p>