https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/m/2016328/univ/art/2016328_univ_sqr_xl.jpg. Israel Institute of Biblical Studies 14,076 views But he was heavily armed, and he was an immensely strong, experienced warrior. Would you like to read this article in %%? However, it is highly improbable that David was this height at this point in his life given the following details. This brings Goliath into much more human terms and this evidence removes one of the major stumbling blocks critics have to accepting the story as historical. None of these are conditions which a warrior would find useful. If a cubit is roughly 18 inches, and a span is roughly 9 inches, that puts Goliath at well over 9 and a half feet. Archaeologists have found an ancient inscription that mentions “the house of David.” Furthermore, Jesus Christ spoke of David as a real person. How tall was Goliath and why it matters. Generally, this is considered to be 18 inches. I’d want that guy on my basketball team—he could dunk without even jumping! David Versus Goliath—Did It Really Happen? Robert Wadlow had to have leg braces and used a cane to get about. Was it an intentional exaggeration, or an honest mistake? David was a shepherd, the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse of Bethlehem. There was a time when scholars tried to relegate King David to the realm of myth, but that has become harder to do. This film includes the King of the Philistines saying, "Goliath has challenged the Israelites six times and no one has responded." THE WATCHTOWER Where Can You Find Comfort? The giant champion of the Philistines is a well known figure in western culture. Some insist that Goliath could not have been that tall, but consider: In modern times, the tallest man documented was over 8 feet 11 inches (2.7 m) tall. King Solomon began to reign in the year his father, David, died … Could Goliath Have Suffered from Gigantism or Acromegaly? Then we descended, and on the valley floor, we crossed a streambed, mostly dry, that was full of stones. Because the disease can affect the person’s eyesight, Doctor Berginer theorizes that Goliath may have had limited eyesight, or tunnel vision. Is it really impossible that Goliath was six inches (15 cm) or so taller? Slide 5 of 6 In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, the renowned author compares the biblical text to modern medicine to try and understand and even explain Goliath’s unnatural height. The Israelites were stationed across the valley on the opposite hillside. “In children who are still growing, too much growth hormone can cause a condition called gigantism. The Septuagint text records Goliath’s height as being 4 cubits and a span, or 6 feet 6 inches in height. This translates to a height of approximately 9 feet 6 inches. Some of these symptoms include fatigue and muscle weakness, impaired vision, back pain, as well as pain and limited mobility in their joints. “But the most crucial argument is that the biblical description of Goliath’s armor fits archaeological discoveries from his very era. Goliath! There was a reason that Goliath was the “champion” of the Philistines (verse 4). No scientific evidence has ever been found to indicate that any human has ever grown to a height of over nine feet, although records indicate some have come very close. The story of David, Goliath and Saul There are few stories more enduring than that of David and Goliath. While these skeletons are certainly not giants, they are much larger than the average skeletal remains of the same period. Watch Queue Queue. (Matthew 12:3; 22:43-45) Jesus’ identity as the Messiah is supported by two detailed genealogies showing that he descended from King David. Copyright © 2021 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. In his writings Josephus records, “… for he was of four cubits and a span in tallness, and had about him weapons suitable to the largeness of his body…” Josephus confirms the Septuagint text and also confirms Goliath was not just taller than the average man, but his body was apparently very muscular and larger than average. Whichever way our prejudices run, they do not help us get at the truth of Goliath’s height. David and Goliath is the fun and moving story of the well-known Biblical figure, King David as he takes on the mighty Philistine, Goliath. The reason this presents such a problem for many is that if Goliath was indeed over nine feet tall, he would be the largest man ever known to exist. These children have exaggerated bone growth and an abnormal increase in height.” — Mayo Clinic. A cubit is the length between a man’s wrist and his elbow. Fortunately, we have multiple sources which provide us with the information we were seeking. He was more than nine feet tall. Watch Queue Queue But it gets still more specific, noting that the Philistines camped on a hillside somewhere between two towns, Socoh and Azekah. It is possible Goliath was a phenomenon, that he was indeed the tallest man ever to walk the earth and we simply have not found his skeletal remains, if they still exist. The height recorded in the Septuagint text can also be confirmed by two other sources. The Legacy of Mr. Vernon Jordan, Civil Rights Leader, D.C Power Broker & Trailblazer, Thomas Carlyle — When You Lose, Start Again, 150 years ago, this queer activist invented sexual identity to stage a public protest, Lieutenant Jones’ Intelligence Network and the Evacuation of Harper’s Ferry, 18 April 1861. While helpful, this does not help determine the true height of Goliath. David could see why the soldiers feared him —he seemed impossibly huge, a mountain of a man. It is then on the seventh time that David meets his challenge. This occurs when a tumor, normally non-cancerous, applies pressure to the pituitary gland, thereby releasing large amounts of growth hormones. Share One of the most controversial aspects of the David and Goliath story is the biblical account of the physical size of Goliath. Goliath bellowed out a challenge. The Dead Sea Scrolls are among the oldest known copies of the old testament in existence. THE WATCHTOWER Where Can You Find Comfort? While a disease such as acromegaly can account for the height of Goliath, it is doubtful anyone with this condition would be imposing on a battlefield. Did such a doubt cross your mind as you read the preceding article? But what about David’s opponent? An examination of the evidence shows that it does, indeed, s… The bible paints a very vivid picture of the confrontation: Where the battle took place, Goliath’s weapons and armor, how the armies lined up against each other, and of course the duel itself. The core elements of the story remain accurate and the final outcome of the battle was still dependent on David’s faith, which sealed his victory and this story’s place in history. https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/a/wp/E/201609/wpub/wp_E_201609_lg.jpg. | While removing the stumbling block, this theory does not alter the Biblical story’s significance in any way. For example, Hays and Billington presuppose that David was about 5'3" and the latter argues that Goliath was measured by David's shorter-than-standard cubit, thus reducing Goliath's height significantly. Saul's exact height is not given, but he was a head taller than anyone else in all Israel (1 Samuel 9:2), which implies he was over 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and the obvious challenger for Goliath, yet, David is the one who eventually defeated him. The sight of the fierce giant, six cubits and a span tall (about twelve feet), towering over the hill, clad in armor and iron and brass from head to foot, filled the Jews with great terror. There are those who will argue that for several reasons, Goliath could not have been as tall as the Bible claims. The men of Saul’s army were afraid of Goliath, and there was no one to stand up to him. So we may be standing where the Israelites camped.’ I thought of Saul and David standing right where I was. Goliath - The Giant Warrior. David Versus Goliath—Did It Really Happen? And now new archaeological evidence from Philistine Gath obliquely supports the case that the biblical narrative reflects historical realities, albeit through a prism, and was not pure 7th century B.C.E. Doctor Berginer practices in Israel and regularly treats patients with acromegaly. He claims the description in the Bible closely matches the symptoms of a person suffering from acromegaly. More important, it is part of God’s inspired Word, so it comes from the God of truth, the One who “cannot lie.”—Titus 1:2; 2 Timothy 3:16. Just because no evidence has been discovered of nine foot or taller humans does not mean they could not have existed. (Note: Some scholars put a cubit at 20 or more inches, which would make Goliath’s height over 10 feet.). Some people wonder if the account about David and Goliath is true history or just myth. Note what a recent visitor to the area says: “Our guide—who was not a religious man—took us to the Valley of Elah. There was not a single man in the Jewish camp who dared accept the challenge. Then he pointed across the valley, saying: ‘There, to your left, lie the ruins of Socoh.’ Turning, he said, ‘Over there, to your right, are the ruins of Azekah. David and Goliath is enjoyable for the whole family. If we look at the Septuagint text, which is older than the Maoretic text, we find a slightly different account. PRIVACY POLICY. Audio download options Is it really impossible that Goliath was six inches (15 cm) or so taller? Jewish historian Flavious Josephus also recorded the events of David and Goliath. Publication download options This transposition seems to be a mere mathematical error. There is no real basis for doubting the truthfulness of this historical account. Six cubits and a span Some have recorded the height as 9 feet and 6 inches, rather than 6 feet 9 inches. | Biblical Hebrew Q&A with eTeacherBiblical.com - Duration: 5:31. In appears an error was possibly made in the translations of the Masoretic text. This is what I Samuel 17:4-7 (NIRV), says about Goliath: A mighty hero named Goliath came out of the Philistine camp. In modern times, if I were to stand next to Shaquille O’neil I might well call him a giant of a man. This scientific evidence lends credence to the biblical account of Goliath being well above average in height and overall size. Share Since the exact length of a cubit is debatable, the exact height of Goliath cannot be determined. His sword was preserved at Nob as a religious trophy (21:9). In the 480th year after Israel had come out of Egypt, which is the 4th year of the reign of Solomon (2973 from the creation), the king began to build the Temple (1Ki 6:1). Only by examining the evidence, which includes the height of people in the ancient world, the relative … Even without his formidable armor, he probably weighed more than two large men combined. David overcomes the odds, and defeats the philistine champion. In fact, any of these would create a hindrance on the battlefield and leave the person vulnerable. The following explanation is derived from Chapter “The Rise and Fall of Israel” of the present author’s book The Reckoning of Time. Fortunately for our discussion, the battle between David and Goliath is recorded in a portion of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Without knowing who made the error, or even when the error was made, it is impossible to determine the motive of the person who made the error. He was of the tribe of the Rephaim, men who were known for their unusual size. David was 17 so he was still growing and was probably around 3'5" tall. In the end, however, a young man named David, … Some insist that Goliath could not have been that tall, but consider: In modern times, the tallest man documented was over 8 feet 11 inches (2.7 m) tall. Amazingly, Wadlow was still growing at the time of his death. mentions that some fearsome warriors in the region of Canaan were over eight feet (2.4 m) in height. Such is the ubiquity of the tale that any conflict between a big guy and a little guy is called a David and Goliath battle. In most of our Bibles, 1 Samuel 17:4 reads “six cubits and a span.” A cubit is the measurement from the elbow to the tip of one’s fingers (approximately 18 inches) and a span is about half a cubit. David defeats the much larger Goliath with a shepherd’s sling. In the Maoretic text, which is used in most modern translations of the Bible, Goliath’s height is said to be 6 cubits and a span, or 9 feet 6 inches. Many believe that David was as young as fifteen when he struck the giant down with his shepherd’s sling. The Bible says that the battle occurred in the Valley of Elah. Here, like the Septuagint text, Goliath’s height is recorded as being 4 cubits and a span. Goliath can't see. How tall was Goliath? We will never know. He wore bronze armor that weighed 125 pounds. David's victory over Goliath was the turning point in his life. His health was so affected by his condition he died at the age of just 22. The giant from the city of Gath, champion of the Philistine army, who was killed by David. Tall tales: Research examines Goliath's true height While it is possible that Goliath was quite tall and even may have dwarfed most of his contemporaries, he was … This video is unavailable. As we looked over the valley, he had us read 1 Samuel 17:1-3. The Hebrews were a very short people and the tallest was around 4 foot tall. A growth problem due to a problem with the pituitary gland or acromegaly results in other physical issues. That adds up to about nine feet six inches (2.9 m). I could not help but picture David stooping here to pick up five smooth stones, one of which killed Goliath.” That visitor, like many others, was deeply impressed with the authentic details in the Bible record. Other individuals have also grown to a height of more than eight feet. An Egyptian document from the 13th century B.C.E. Click to … He wore scale armor of over 125 pounds (5000 shekels), including heavy brass greaves, a helmet and all of his weapons; he was a force to be dealt with. He was of the tribe of the Rephaim, men who were known for their unusual size. Though Saul had given David permission to accept Goliath's challenge, the king had small hope that David would be successful [p. 647] in his courageous undertaking. This affliction, while rare, is still seen in modern times. Command was given to clothe the youth in the king's own armor. Were these real places? King Saul and his men were battling the Philistines, one of which was a 9-foot giant named Goliath. mentions that some fearsome warriors in the region … It is interesting to note that large skeletons have been recovered by an archaeologist in and around the city of Gath, the hometown of Goliath. We ascended a path that took us to the brow of a hill. The issue is that the Masoretic Text gives Goliath’s height as “six cubits and a span” whereas the Greek rendering of 1 Samuel 17:4 gives Goliath’s height as “four cubits and a span.”. THE WATCHTOWER Where Can You Find Comfort? For these answers we must look at the scriptures. There is no evidence Goliath was anything but an imposing warrior, free of disease or defect. The story is well known, and it seems like this is a simple question: how tall was Goliath? Taking into consideration both theories, a cubit could be anywhere from 18 to 21 inches, which would make Goliath anywhere from 9 to 11 feet tall. THE WATCHTOWER Where Can You Find Comfort. Doctor Vladimir Berginer believes Goliath suffered from this condition which accounted for his great height. The heavy helmet of brass was put upon his head, and the coat of mail was placed upon his body; the monarch's sword was at his side. He was from Gath. While this is a much more modest height, it remains approximately one foot over the average man of the day. Goliath was considered a giant so he might have been around 5 foot tall or possibly 5 foot pluss. Thurl Bailey, recording artist, popular public speaker, sports broadcaster, and former NBA star, takes on the role of Goliath in this exciting family adventure. So Goliath’s height, while unusual, is hardly impossible. 17:51) and brought it to Jerusalem, while he" hung the armour which he took from him in his tent. The Bible says that Goliath’s “height was six cubits and a span.” (1 Samuel 17:4) The cubit in question was 17.5 inches (44.5 cm) long; the span, 8.75 inches (22.2 cm). It generally affects young adults and is treatable if properly diagnosed in the early stages. This is normally due to a disease known as acromegaly. But how old was David when he killed Goliath? It involves real people and real places. An Egyptian document from the 13th century B.C.E. That takes us back to whether or not we are going to believe the Bible or not. How the giant of Gath grew in the telling. 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