Naravist

Person in the Old Testament

Goliath

Goliath of Gath: the Philistine challenger

Portrait of Goliath. An AI-generated artistic interpretation, not a historical likeness.

Portrait: an AI-generated artistic interpretation, not evidence of how Goliath looked.

Who Goliath is

Goliath is the heavily armed champion from Gath who challenges Israel to provide an opponent. His terms would make the defeated side serve the victor, and Israel's army responds with fear. David confronts him in the name of the Lord while Goliath curses him by his gods. David strikes him with a sling stone and uses Goliath's own sword to cut off his head. The Philistines flee when they see their champion dead.

Cited passages: 1 Samuel 17:4, 1 Samuel 17:5, 1 Samuel 17:6, 1 Samuel 17:7, 1 Samuel 17:8, 1 Samuel 17:9, 1 Samuel 17:10, 1 Samuel 17:11, 1 Samuel 17:40, 1 Samuel 17:41, 1 Samuel 17:42, 1 Samuel 17:43, 1 Samuel 17:44, 1 Samuel 17:45, 1 Samuel 17:46, 1 Samuel 17:47, 1 Samuel 17:48, 1 Samuel 17:49, 1 Samuel 17:50, 1 Samuel 17:51

Historical setting

The encounter is set in the valley of Elah. KJV and ASV describe Goliath's height as six cubits and a span; BBE says more than six cubits. His sword later appears at Nob and in Doeg's report. A later battle notice differs across translations: 2 Samuel 21:19 gives Elhanan's victim as Goliath's brother in KJV but Goliath in ASV and BBE. First Chronicles 20:5 names Lahmi, Goliath's brother. These readings do not supply a single, unqualified account of that later notice.

Cited passages: 1 Samuel 17:2, 1 Samuel 17:3, 1 Samuel 17:4, 1 Samuel 17:5, 1 Samuel 17:6, 1 Samuel 17:7, 1 Samuel 21:9, 1 Samuel 22:10, 2 Samuel 21:19, 1 Chronicles 20:5

How the story is told

Goliath's size, equipment and repeated defiance establish what Israel finds frightening. David's reply shifts attention to the Lord's name and the source of deliverance. The visible imbalance of weapons is answered by a stone and then the champion's own sword. The scene's speeches belong to the two opponents; they do not supply a childhood, private psychology or wider biography for Goliath.

Cited passages: 1 Samuel 17:4, 1 Samuel 17:5, 1 Samuel 17:6, 1 Samuel 17:7, 1 Samuel 17:8, 1 Samuel 17:9, 1 Samuel 17:10, 1 Samuel 17:11, 1 Samuel 17:16, 1 Samuel 17:41, 1 Samuel 17:42, 1 Samuel 17:43, 1 Samuel 17:44, 1 Samuel 17:45, 1 Samuel 17:46, 1 Samuel 17:47, 1 Samuel 17:48, 1 Samuel 17:49, 1 Samuel 17:50, 1 Samuel 17:51

Story moments

  1. The champion introduced (1 Samuel 17:4). The narrator names Goliath and identifies him as a champion from Gath.
  2. Israel challenged (1 Samuel 17:10). Goliath defies the armies and asks for a man to fight him.
  3. David cursed (1 Samuel 17:43). Goliath curses David by his gods.
  4. The stone strikes (1 Samuel 17:49). David's sling stone strikes Goliath, who falls face down.
  5. The champion's sword used (1 Samuel 17:51). David uses Goliath's sword, and the Philistines flee at their champion's death.
  6. The sword at Nob (1 Samuel 21:9). Ahimelech offers David the sword associated with Goliath's defeat.

Key passages

1 Samuel 17:4

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.

1 Samuel 17:23

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.

1 Samuel 21:9

And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley 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 22:10

And he enquired of the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

2 Samuel 21:19

And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Beth-lehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

1 Chronicles 20:5

And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver’s beam.

King James Version. 6 indexed passages in total.

For reflection

How does the account move from Goliath's terms for the contest to David's declaration about who gives deliverance?

Books Goliath appears in

Related people

Names and references are adapted from STEPBible TIPNR. A person listed with a verse is named or indexed there; it does not mean they wrote or spoke it.