1 Samuel 17, The Valley of Elah; Nephilim, Giants; Goliath; Bronze age Iron age; Palestine; Simon bar Kokhba

1 Samuel 17
The Valley of Elah; Nephilim, Giants;
Goliath; Iron age; Palestine; Simon bar
Kokhba
The Valley of Elah in central Israel.

BIBLE IN FIVE
Pastor Dave Kooyers
Valley Bible Fellowship
Box 433
Boonville CA 95415
http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers
www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org
(707) 895-2325
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Valley of Elah, George Gunn
• “Here in the Valley of Elah, young David, son of Jesse,
gathered five smooth stones, and armed with nothing
more that a simple sling, slew the great Philistine
champion, Goliath. Visiting the site of this famous
battle makes the Biblical text come alive in a way no
story book can do. Come with us [… in] the Shasta Bible
College Israel tour. You could even bring back 5 smooth
stones from the Valley of Elah for your own protection
from giants!”
• George Gunn
https://www.facebook.com/ggunn.sbc?fref=nf

• George Gunn
https://www.facebook.co
m/ggunn.sbc?fref=nf

1 Samuel 17:2
The Valley Of Elah
• “Today's photo from Israel365's very own Aliza
Abrahamowitz was taken at the historic Elah
Fortress (in Hebrew, Khirbet Qeiyafa). The
ruins were uncovered in 2007 just miles from
the Israel365 office in Beit Shemesh.
Archaeologists believe it may contain the ruins
of King David's palace.”
6

1 Samuel 17:2 The Valley Of Elah
7

1 Samuel 17:2, Extension of Elah Valley on its
southeastern side, Wadi es Sur, wikimedia.org
8

1 Samuel 17:2, Valley of Elah viewed from the top
of Tel Azeka., wikimedia.org
9

Yosef Symonds' spectacular photo of Lupin Hill in central Israel. In this
valley was the ancient showdown between David and Goliath. Today it is
known for the beautiful lupin flowers of early spring.
10

1 Samuel 17:2, Elah Valley
• Vernon Peterman said, “I went to Israel
Feb 15-28, [2015?] … Here is one place we
went: Khirbet Qeiyafa - one of King
David's fortresses, overlooking the Elah
Valley, where David fought Goliath in
earlier years before he was the King. So
glad I was able to retrieve all my photos!”
11

1 Samuel 17:2, The Valley of Elah in the
Days of Saul and David
• Dr. Scott Stripling describes the ruins at
Khirbet Qeifaya, where King Saul and David
fought in battle against the Philistines at the
Elah Valley. A pottery shard with Hebrew
writing was discovered here in 2008.
• http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2013/
02/12/The-Valley-of-Elah-in-the-Days-of-Saul-
and-David.aspx

1 Samuel 17:2, The Valley of Elah in the
Days of Saul and David

1 Samuel 17:4, Nephilim
• NAU 1 Samuel 17:4 Then a champion came
out from the armies of the Philistines named
Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six
cubits and a span.
15

• For a more complete study of the Nephilim go to
my Deuteronomy 2-3 SlideShare;
• https://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers/deuteronom
y-23-remember-provoking-god-is-not-an-indian-
giver-giants-in-the-land-nephilim-gigantes-
hardened-hearts-iron-steel-oopart-
ooparts?qid=5dca12de-82e9-41d4-9667-
ee8ff318defb&v=&b=&from_search=1
16

Nephilim
17
The following slides
without this background
are from;
Harry Morgan, Ph.D.,
LMHC, Mental Health
Forensic Examiner (sex
offenses) at Biblical
Counseling Center of
Palmetto, FL
http://www.slideshare.net/sanctitas/ne
philim-53022006?related=2

• NAU Genesis 6:4 The Nephilim [giants” in NKJ, KJV]
were on the earth in those days, and also
afterward, when the sons of God came in to
the daughters of men, and they bore children
to them. Those were the mighty men who
were of old, men of renown.
• But, remember that Goliath and the other
huge persons mentioned in the Bible do not
have to be Nephilim. Humans have been
recorded up to the present day at heights of
up to, and over, 10 feet tall.
21

Acts and Facts on Biblical Giants
• NAU 1 Samuel 17:4 …six cubits and a span.
• On 1 Samuel 17 and Numbers 13:32-33, Dr. Randy
Guliuzza, P.E., M.D., at ICR concludes
“…Considering the wide range of human heights
today (which encompassed a bit larger range
3500 years ago), it is a very is a very reasonable
and straightforward explanation that these
biblical giants were so large simply because of
normal human variability." Acts and Facts June
2013 page 20

1 Samuel 17:4, TODAY'S CREATION MOMENT
ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND GOLIATH
• “Sometimes you just have to feel sorry for Bible skeptics
who cast doubt on the historical accuracy of the Bible. With
each passing year, archaeologists keep finding evidences
that the Bible is thoroughly reliable!
• Lithograph: David and Goliath by Osmar SchindlerTake, for
instance, the story of David and Goliath. Bible skeptics insist
that the biblical account has no connection to reality. But in
2005, archaeologists digging at the biblical home of Goliath
unearthed a shard of pottery bearing an inscription of the
Philistine's name.
• While the discovery does not prove Goliath's existence, it
does support the Bible's depiction of life at the time of the
23

1 Samuel 17:4, TODAY'S CREATION MOMENT
ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND GOLIATH
• supposed battle, said excavation director Dr. Aren Maeir of Israel's
Bar-Ilan University. "What this means is that at the time there were
people there named Goliath," he said. "It shows us that David and
Goliath's story reflects the cultural reality of the time."
• Though many skeptics tell us that David slaying the giant Goliath is a
myth written down hundreds of years later, Dr. Maeir said that finding
the inscription gives credence to the biblical story. As reported in
Great Britain's The Independent, "The shard dates to about 950 BC,
within 70 years of when biblical chronology says David squared off
against Goliath, making it the oldest Philistine inscription found. It was
at Tel es-Safi in southern Israel, thought to be the site of the Philistine
city of Gath."
• Clearly, the Bible's account of David and Goliath is no tall tale!”
• Notes: Rachel Hoag, "Shard of pottery supports Bible account of David and Goliath," The Independent, 11/11/05. Lithograph: David and Goliath by Osmar
Schindler (c. 1888). (PD)
24

1 Samuel 17:4, Goliath
• Vernon Peterman said, “I went to Israel Feb
15-28 [2015], Here is one place we went:
Khirbet Qeiyafa - one of King David's
fortresses, overlooking the Elah Valley, where
David fought Goliath in earlier years before he
was the King.”
25

cubits and a span.
was the King.” 26

cubits and a span.
was the King.” 27

• Vernon Peterman said, “In going to Khirbet
Qeiyafa, we crossed over the brook from
which David chose five smooth stones (1
Samuel 17:40).” 28

• Vernon Peterman said, “Aerial View of Khirbet Qeiyafa,
excavated 2008-2013, a fortress used during the time of King
David. It would hold about 700 people, had two gates - rare
for a fortress, since gates were a weak point in the wall.”
29

• Vernon Peterman said, “ One of the two gates, having four
chambers behind the gate. 2 Samuel 18:24, “Now David was
sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to
the roof of the gate by the wall….”
30

• Vernon Peterman said, “Here are the gatepost bases for the
gates. Those needed to be large in order to keep attackers
from undermining or dislodging them.”
31

• Vernon Peterman said, “The oldest known
Hebrew writing was found here at Khirbet
Qeiyafa in 2008.”
32

• Vernon Peterman said, “My wife, Nancy,
standing next to the other one of the fortress
gates.”
33

1 Samuel 17:5-7
• NAU 1 Samuel 17:5 And he had a bronze
helmet on his head, and he was clothed with
scale-armor which weighed five thousand
shekels of bronze. 6 He also had bronze
greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung
between his shoulders. 7 And the shaft of his
spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head
of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of
iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him.
34

1 Samuel 17:5-7
• NAU 1 Samuel 17:5 …bronze … 7 …his spear
…iron…
• Archaeologists like to ascribe metals to various
ages of human history, bronze age, Iron age, etc..
• Scripture makes no such distinctions.
• NAU Genesis 4:21 His brother's name was Jubal;
he was the father of all those who play the lyre
and pipe. 22 …Tubal-cain, the forger of all
implements of bronze and iron…

NAU 1 Samuel 17:8 He
stood and shouted to
the ranks of Israel and
said to them, "Why do
you come out to draw
up in battle array? Am I
not the Philistine and
you servants of Saul?
Choose a man for
yourselves and let him
come down to me.
36

• Pride? 1 Samuel 17:8 …Am I not
the Philistine…
37
Sling

1 Sam 17:8, Sling Not Slingshot

Let’s read 1 Samuel 17:9-37
• “touché”
• Challenge accepted, brace yourself you
giant!

1 Samuel 17:23, Gaza, in Gath
• NAU 1 Samuel 17:23 As he was talking with them,
behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath
named Goliath, was coming up from the army of
the Philistines, and he spoke these same words;
and David heard them.
• Archaeologists find the gate to Goliath's hometown
• Elizabeth Armstrong Moore, Newser staff 9:39 a.m.
EDT August 4, 2015, AP MIDEAST ISRAEL
PALESTINIANS PHILISTINE METROPOLIS I ISR
• (Photo: Ariel Schalit, AP)
40

1 Samuel 17:23,
Gaza, in Gath
• (Photo: Ariel Schalit,
AP)
http://www.usatoday.com/story/
news/world/2015/08/04/archaeo
logists-find-gate-goliaths-
hometown/31097891/
• Article follows after
“THE END” slide
41

1 Samuel 17:25, Archaeologists Discover Goliath Relatives?
• “After decades of studying what Philistines left behind, we have
finally come face to face with the people themselves,” said Daniel
Master, the American archaeologist who has led an excavation of
the site since 1985. “With this discovery, we are unlocking the
secrets of their origins.” Master and his team, under the Leon
Levy Expedition associated with Harvard University’s Semitic
Museum and other institutions, have been studying the remains of
a Philistine settlement at the edge of the Israeli city Ashkelon for
three decades. The cemetery—likely the first such discovery of its
kind—was found in 2013 but kept under wraps until just recently.
Goliath, slain in the Bible by David, Israel’s future king, is arguably
the most famous Philistine. His people lived some three millennia
ago as strangers in Jewish territory near what is now Tel Aviv. The
Philistines were traders and seafarers who lived in the area
between what
42

1 Samuel 17:25, Archaeologists Discover Goliath Relatives?
• is now Tel Aviv. The Philistines were traders and seafarers who lived in
the area between what is now Gaza and Tel Aviv from 1200 to about 600
BC. They spoke a language of Indo-European origin, did not practice
circumcision as the Jews did, and ate pork and dog, according to the
researchers. They were also said to have been experts in making wine
and oil.
• -www.dw.com/en, 12 July 2016
• Arno Froese <info@midnightcall.com Commentary: The story recorded
in Scripture is extremely important because, from the lineage of David,
the Messiah was born. He had to be born from a free house, as 1 Samuel
17:25 documents, “And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man
that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that
the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and
will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel” (1
Samuel 17:25). David did slay Goliath, and he indeed became free, but
not in reality physically, because he was severely persecuted by King
Saul. 43

• An adult burial in the
Ashkelon cemetery features
a small juglet which most
likely once held perfume.
The juglet was placed near
the nose of the deceased at
the time of interment.
• PHOTOGRAPH BY TSAFRIR
ABAYOV FOR THE LEON
LEVY EXPEDITION TO
ASHKELON
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/07/bible-
philistine-israelite-israel-ashkelon-discovery-burial-
archaeology-sea-peoples/

Assistant excavation
director Adam Aja
documents a burial in
the first Philistine
cemetery ever
discovered at the site of
Ashkelon in southern
Israel.
PHOTOGRAPH BY TSAFRIR ABAYOV
FOR THE LEON LEVY EXPEDITION TO
ASHKELON

A child burial is excavated
at Ashkelon. The few
children and infants
buried in the cemetery
were interred with a
covering or "blanket" of
broken pottery.
PHOTOGRAPH BY
MELISSA AJA FOR THE
LEON LEVY EXPEDITION
TO ASHKELON

A group of Sea Peoples, most likely Philistines, is depicted in
this detail from a relief at the mortuary temple of Ramses III in
Luxor, Egypt. The pharaoh battled the mysterious coalition of
tribes around 1180 B.C.
PHOTOGRAPH BY GLASSHOUSE IMAGES, ALAMY

Future examination of the remains from the Ashkelon cemetery
will include isotopic analysis of the teeth, which can reveal the
geographic areas in which an individual lived.
PHOTOGRPAH BY TSAFRIR ABAYOV FOR THE LEON LEVY EXPEDITION TO ASHKELON

Unearthing a Philistine cemetery in
ancient Ashkelon, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYNt5KjGgS8

Judges 3:31, 10:6, 14:19, Philistines,
Discovery of Philistine Cemetery May
Solve Biblical Mystery
• Human remains buried almost 3,000 years
ago in southern Israel may help researchers
finally solve the mystery of the Philistines'
origins.
• An adult burial in the Ashkelon cemetery features a small juglet which
most likely once held perfume. The juglet was placed near the nose of the
deceased at the time of interment.

Palestine, Simon bar Kokhba
Underwater Hebrew Tablet Discovered
• “The slab dates to the second century A.D., a bloody time in Jewish
history when a fiery leader named Simon bar Kokhba led a failed
revolt against Roman rulers. The huge chunk of stone was found at an
underwater site called Tel Dor, located about 18 miles (30 kilometers)
south of the city of Haifa.The inscription dates from a tumultuous time
in Jewish history. The second temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, and
around A.D. 132, tensions simmering between the Roman rulers of the
province and the Jewish inhabitants boiled over once again. At that
point, the Jewish leader Simon bar Kokhba led a revolt against the
Romans. During the four years of fighting, both sides sustained heavy
casualties, and many Jews were ultimately sold into slavery or
scattered. “Immediately after the Bar Kokhba revolt, the Romans
decided to abolish the province of Judea and to obliterate any
mention of its name. The province was united with Syria to form a
single province called
5
1

• Syria-Palestine,” Yasur-Landau said. “So what we have here is an inscription
dated to just before Judea ceased to exist as a province under that name. Of
the two inscriptions mentioning the name Judea, this is the latest, of course.
Because such findings are so rare, it is unlikely that we will find many later
inscriptions including the name Judea.” -www.livescience.com, 13 December
2016
• Arno Froese <info@midnightcall.com Commentary: “Jewish presence over all
the land of Israel is being documented by archaeology and historic writings.
However, the prophets did proclaim Israel’s total destruction, which came to
pass after the Jewish leader, Simon bar Kokhba, was defeated by the Romans.
Judea was obliterated and the territory was called Syria-Palestine. Bar Kokhba,
the fierce fighter against the Roman occupation, in the end, caused the
opposite: the eradication of the name Judah from the annals of Roman
history. If Bar Kokhba and others before him would have accepted their
defeat and served the victor’s government, lives and suffering could have
been avoided. Yet prophecy had to be fulfilled, and thus Judea had to be
obliterated.”
5
2

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/underwater-hebrew-tablet-
reveals-biblical-143000683.html
5
3The stone slab is on display at the University of Haifa's library. University of Haifa

• NAU 1 Samuel
17:32 David said
to Saul, "Let no
man's heart fail
on account of
him; your servant
will go and fight
with this
Philistine."
54

1 Samuel 17:34, Dangerous Duty
• THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012
• Explorations in Antiquity Center: The Good Shepherd
• By Dr. David R. Reagan
• What is meant by the Good Shepherd laying down his life for his sheep?
• This question was posed to Dr. James Fleming, one of the most knowledgeable teachers of Biblical Archaeology, on our show Christ in Prophecy. Dr. Fleming
lived and taught in Israel for 37 years at Jerusalem University College and at the Hebrew University. His first claim to fame is that he discovered the ancient
Eastern Gate buried beneath the current one. Dr. Fleming has walked or motorcycled about every square mile of Israel, and is so familiar with Israel past and
present that Israeli tour guides come to him for training.
• He now operates the Explorations in Antiquity Center in LaGrange, Georgia, an interactive museum where people here in the U.S. can experience the life and
times of Jesus Christ in the First Century. It's a fascinating place, and so in this series we're going to tour the facility to glean new insights into the Bible by
understanding the manners, customs and times of the Bible.
•
• Bedouin Tent
• Dr. Reagan: We are now at what looks to me like a Bedouin tent, but let's let the expert tell us what it is.
• Dr. Fleming: This is goat hair of a brownish-black color. When it's dry there's a very large space in the weave allowing light to shine through. As soon as it gets
wet, the hair swells and it becomes waterproof. It works perfectly.
• When you look up towards the sun in the day through the tent it looks like you're looking at the Milky Way. The word in the Old Testament for the night sky is
the "tent of the heavens." God has just unfurled the tent in heaven.
• Dr. Reagan: The Bedouins still use tents like this in Israel today. You can see them on the way from Jerusalem to Jericho.
• Dr. Fleming: Yes, though I'm afraid they're a lot more plastic nowadays, but there still are some traditional tents.
• There's always in antiquity and even today among the Bedouin a divided section for a woman and children. Women would have been in one section, so Sarah
would have been standing off on one side listening to Abraham talk with his angelic guests in another section where Abraham would have been receiving
others.
•
Sheep Dogs
• Dr. Reagan: There is a little interesting item hanging on the tent which is fascinating. What in the world is it?
• Dr. Reagan: Believe it or not, it's a dog collar. The predators were all around, like today it is the grey wolf in the north. Back in antiquity you had lions and
bears along with wolves. The dogs actually wore a spiked dog collar because its neck is the place the wolf is going to tear at on the dog.
• Dr. Reagan: Why didn't the shepherds put those collars on the sheep?
• Dr. Fleming: No, it was just on the guard dogs. The shepherds needed to have the guard dog for their hearing abilities as well. These dogs were huge watch
dogs. Modern day shepherds even cut the dog's ears today so that the wolves won't have the chance to bite onto something.
• The main point is this — most people don't realize how dangerous it was to be a shepherd in biblical times. When Jesus said the shepherd lays down his life
for the sheep, He meant it. I'd imagine people living near grazing areas would hear every week of a shepherd being attacked. For example, David talked about
killing a lion and a bear, so such attacks were pretty common then.
•
In the third part of this series with archaeologist Dr. James Fleming at his Explorations in Antiquity Center, we'll glean some biblical insights by learning what
life in the First Century was like when it came to housing sheep.

Explorations in Antiquity Center: The Good Shepherd,
By Dr. David R. Reagan
• “Sheep Dogs, …“Dr. Reagan: There is a little interesting item hanging
on the tent which is fascinating. What in the world is it?
• Dr. Reagan: Believe it or not, it's a dog collar. The predators were all
around, like today it is the grey wolf in the north. Back in antiquity you
had lions and bears along with wolves. The dogs actually wore a spiked
dog collar because its neck is the place the wolf is going to tear at on
the dog.
• Dr. Fleming: No, it was just on the guard dogs. The shepherds needed
to have the guard dog for their hearing abilities as well. These dogs
were huge watch dogs. Modern day shepherds even cut the dog's ears
today so that the wolves won't have the chance to bite onto
something.
• The main point is this — most people don't realize how dangerous it
was to be a shepherd in biblical times. When Jesus said the shepherd
lays down his life for the sheep, He meant it. I'd imagine people living
near grazing areas would hear every week of a shepherd being
attacked. For example, David talked about killing a lion and a bear, so
such attacks were pretty common then…”

1 Samuel 17:40, 5 Stones?
• NAU 1 Samuel 17:40 He took his stick in his hand
and chose for himself five smooth stones from the
brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which
he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his
hand; and he approached the Philistine.
• Why 5?
• NAU 2 Samuel 21:22 These four were born to the
giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David
and by the hand of his servants.
5
8

• 1 Samuel 17:34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant was
tending his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and
took a lamb from the flock,
• A Shepherd’s Spiked Dog Collar
• Dr. Reagan: ”Why didn't the shepherds put those collars on
the sheep?
• Dr. Fleming: No, it was just on the guard dogs. The shepherds
needed to have the guard dog for their hearing abilities as
well. These dogs were huge watch dogs. Modern day
shepherds even cut the dog's ears today so that the wolves
won't have the chance to bite onto something.
• The main point is this — most people don't realize how
dangerous it was to be a shepherd in biblical times. When
Jesus said the shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, He
meant it. I'd imagine people living near grazing areas would
hear every week of a shepherd being attacked. For example,
David talked about killing a lion and a bear, so such attacks
were pretty common then.”

1 Samuel 17:49
“took from it a stone”
• NAU 1 Samuel 17:49 And David put his hand
into his bag and took from it a stone and slung
it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead.
And the stone sank into his forehead, so that
he fell on his face to the ground.
• Goliath was already coming at him and David
had not loaded his weapon yet.
• That is truly trusting in the Lord.
• A “sling” not a sling shot
6
1

1 Samuel 17:51, 2X’s “and killed him”
When Did Goliath Die?
• NAU 1 Samuel 17:49 …the stone sank into his
forehead, so that he fell on his face to the
ground. 50 Thus David prevailed over the
Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck
the Philistine and killed him; but there was no
sword in David's hand. 51 Then David …took his
sword… and killed him, and cut off his head with
it. When the Philistines saw that their champion
was dead, they fled.
• “saw”= visible confirmation of his death

1 Sam 17:51
“cut off his head”

Israeli archaeologists pieced together the inscription
from pottery shards found at a 2012 excavation in the
Valley of Elah in central Israel.
65

• JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s antiquities authority says
archaeologists have discovered a rare 3,000-year-old
inscription of a name mentioned in the Bible. The name
“Eshbaal Ben Beda” appears on a large ceramic jar. Eshbaal of
the Bible was a son of King Saul. Archaeologists Yosef
Garfinkel and Saar Ganor say the jar belonged to a different
Eshbaal, likely the owner of an agricultural estate. They said
Tuesday it is the first time the name was discovered in an
ancient inscription. It is one of only four inscriptions
discovered from the biblical 10th century B.C. Kingdom of
Judah, when King David is said to have reigned.
Archaeologists pieced together the inscription from pottery
shards found at a 2012 excavation in the Valley of Elah in
central Israel. Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.
https://stream.org/israeli-archaeologists-find-inscription-name-bible/
66

• Have a blessed
Thanksgiving
day. Remember
to give thanks
to the Lord God
Almighty, It's
not just about
turkey and
pumpkin pie.

1 Samuel 17:4-5
Question: "How tall was Goliath?”
• gotquestions.org , “Answer: Goliath is a biblical character found in 1 Samuel 17. The Bible says he was a large man who
fought as a champion for the Philistine army against God’s people, the Israelites.
• How tall was Goliath in reality? Normally, we equate him with a giant, as most Bible translations state that he was over
nine feet tall (1 Samuel 17:4, NIV). The Masoretic Text, the Hebrew text that has long been accepted by the Jewish
people, states that Goliath’s height was “six cubits and one span.” Taking a cubit to be approximately eighteen inches
and a span to equal six, this figures to a height of approximately nine feet, six inches. It seems Goliath may have had
some Anakim blood in him (see Deuteronomy 9:2).
• There is, however, a variation found in some ancient texts on the matter of Goliath’s height. A Greek translation of the
Old Testament, the Septuagint, records Goliath’s height as four cubits and one span. Current measurements translate
this to about six feet, six inches. While this would shorten Goliath some, he still would have been quite a bit taller than
the average man’s height at that time—about five and a half feet. There are other sources that corroborate the shorter
measurement, including one Hebrew text among the Dead Sea Scrolls and the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus.
The NET Bible goes with the shorter height, saying that Goliath was “close to seven feet tall” (1 Samuel 17:4).
• When it comes to the deviation between these measurements, it is important to note a couple things. First, the Old
Testament was originally written in Hebrew. The difference may be due to how the measurements were translated into
Greek for the Septuagint. Second, the measurement of a cubit is not precise, since a cubit was based on the distance
from a person’s elbow to the tip of a finger. Thus, the length of a cubit would vary somewhat, according to the one doing
the measuring and the length of his arm.
• Regardless of Goliath’s precise height, we know from God’s Word that he was a formidable opponent. He was not only
tall—at least a foot taller than David, and possibly several feet taller—he was also strong. His bronze armor alone
weighed 125 pounds (1 Samuel 17:5), and he carried a giant-sized spear (verse 7). There was a reason that Goliath was
the “champion” of the Philistines (verse 4). In the end, however, a young man named David, armed with only a simple
sling, a few rocks, and faith, defeated this enemy of Israel. David proved stronger than Goliath because he had the
almighty God on his side.”
70

Where Would You Choose To Live?
From Gary Bates, CEO, Creation Ministries International (US)
Two of my colleagues were speaking on an Australian Christian radio station a
few years ago. The station was taking calls off-air, and a young geology
student had been put through to one of them.1 She told my colleague that
Christianity was “not much good”, and that she was drawn to religions like
Buddhism or Islam. My colleague asked her what country in the world she
would choose in which to raise her future children. “Australia, of course”, she
replied. He shot back, “If it couldn’t be Australia, what would be your next
choice?” “Umm … America, I guess … or maybe England.” “And if that isn’t
possible?”“Well,” she replied, hesitating, “probably Germany … or Switzerland
… . ”After she had been prodded to consider several more, my colleague
pointed out that she did not cite any predominantly Buddhist or Islamic
nations. Her ‘wish list’ was made up entirely of countries that most would
define as having a Christian foundation (despite their rapid decline into
secularism). My colleague wrote: “Of course, our young lady’s choices were
neither unusual nor surprising. Not even the most vehement Christian-bashers
would prefer to bring their children up in Iran, Burma, Saudi Arabia or the like.
But rarely would any of them make a connection between their choice of
countries and the Bible.”2 Well, that was a few years ago. Most Western
nations can no longer be defined as Christian anymore….

1 Samuel 17:54, Jerusalem
• NAU 1 Samuel 17:54 Then David took the
Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem,
but he put his weapons in his tent.
• Only use of “Jerusalem” in 1 Samuel, but 30
NAU uses in 2 Samuel. Clearly our geographical
focus will be zooming in.
7
2

• (NEWSER) – An archaeological dig now in its 20th year has uncovered the
entrance gate to Gath, the ancient Biblical city of the Philistines and
onetime home of the giant Goliath. Before the king of Damascus destroyed
it in 830 BCE, Gath was the largest city in the land for hundreds of years,
reports the Jerusalem Post. The Bible refers to the massive city gate itself, in
the story of David's escape from King Saul to the king of Gath. In addition to
the city gate, scientists have also unearthed an "impressive fortification
wall," several buildings that include a temple and iron production facility,
and what the Post calls the earliest "decipherable" Philistine inscription
ever found—which contains two names similar to "Goliath."
• "After finding a huge fortification, it’s clearly the most important city of the
10th and ninth centuries," says the archaeologist in charge of the dig, per
i24. The long-term dig is part of the Ackerman Family Bar-Ilan University
Expedition to Gath, a look at the archaeology and history of one of the
largest "tells" (aka ancient ruin mounds) in Israel. The area in central Israel,
in the Tel Zafit National Park in the Judean Foothills, has been inhabited
almost continuously since the 5th millennium BCE, the researchers note in a
press release. (Also recently discovered in Israel? A mask unlike any other.)
• This article originally appeared on Newser:
73

Archaeologists Uncover Ancient City of Gath,
Home to Goliath the Giant
• Veronica Neffinger | Editor, ChristianHeadlines.com | Friday, August 07,
2015, ChristianHeadlines.com
• Archaeologists in a Palestinian city in Israel have uncovered the ruins of a
city that was once home to Goliath the giant. The archaeologists have
unearthed a huge gate and a fortified wall in the modern-day city of Tell
es-Safi. They believe the gate and wall to be part of "the lower city of
Gath,” a Philistine metropolis of the ancient world, according to Christian
Today.
• The Philistine city is described in the Bible as being the home of Goliath,
the giant who threatened the nation of Israel and was felled by a stone
from future king of Israel, David’s sling. Professor Aren Maeir, an
archaeologist from Bar-Ilan University in Israel who is the leader of the
excavation, stated that "We still have to do a lot of cleaning, defining,
digging and measuring to do, but it appears that there are really good
chances we have truly landed on quite an astounding find.” The
archaeologists uncovered the city of Gath’s wall and massive gate while
they were digging trenches to unearth the city’s fortifications. 74

• THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012
• Explorations in Antiquity Center: The Good Shepherd
• By Dr. David R. Reagan
• What is meant by the Good Shepherd laying down his life for his sheep?
• This question was posed to Dr. James Fleming, one of the most knowledgeable teachers of Biblical Archaeology, on our show Christ in Prophecy. Dr. Fleming lived
and taught in Israel for 37 years at Jerusalem University College and at the Hebrew University. His first claim to fame is that he discovered the ancient Eastern Gate
buried beneath the current one. Dr. Fleming has walked or motorcycled about every square mile of Israel, and is so familiar with Israel past and present that Israeli
tour guides come to him for training.
• He now operates the Explorations in Antiquity Center in LaGrange, Georgia, an interactive museum where people here in the U.S. can experience the life and times
of Jesus Christ in the First Century. It's a fascinating place, and so in this series we're going to tour the facility to glean new insights into the Bible by understanding
the manners, customs and times of the Bible.
•
• Bedouin Tent
• Dr. Reagan: We are now at what looks to me like a Bedouin tent, but let's let the expert tell us what it is.
• Dr. Fleming: This is goat hair of a brownish-black color. When it's dry there's a very large space in the weave allowing light to shine through. As soon as it gets wet,
the hair swells and it becomes waterproof. It works perfectly.
• When you look up towards the sun in the day through the tent it looks like you're looking at the Milky Way. The word in the Old Testament for the night sky is the
"tent of the heavens." God has just unfurled the tent in heaven.
• Dr. Reagan: The Bedouins still use tents like this in Israel today. You can see them on the way from Jerusalem to Jericho.
• Dr. Fleming: Yes, though I'm afraid they're a lot more plastic nowadays, but there still are some traditional tents.
• There's always in antiquity and even today among the Bedouin a divided section for a woman and children. Women would have been in one section, so Sarah
would have been standing off on one side listening to Abraham talk with his angelic guests in another section where Abraham would have been receiving others.
•
Sheep Dogs
• Dr. Reagan: There is a little interesting item hanging on the tent which is fascinating. What in the world is it?
• Dr. Reagan: Believe it or not, it's a dog collar. The predators were all around, like today it is the grey wolf in the north. Back in antiquity you had lions and bears
along with wolves. The dogs actually wore a spiked dog collar because its neck is the place the wolf is going to tear at on the dog.
• Dr. Fleming: No, it was just on the guard dogs. The shepherds needed to have the guard dog for their hearing abilities as well. These dogs were huge watch dogs.
Modern day shepherds even cut the dog's ears today so that the wolves won't have the chance to bite onto something.
• The main point is this — most people don't realize how dangerous it was to be a shepherd in biblical times. When Jesus said the shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep, He meant it. I'd imagine people living near grazing areas would hear every week of a shepherd being attacked. For example, David talked about killing a lion
and a bear, so such attacks were pretty common then.
•
In the third part of this series with archaeologist Dr. James Fleming at his Explorations in Antiquity Center, we'll glean some biblical insights by learning what life in
the First Century was like when it came to housing sheep.
•

1 Samuel 17, The Valley of Elah; Nephilim, Giants; Goliath; Bronze age Iron age; Palestine; Simon bar Kokhba

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