myBibleHistory

Ancient Mysteries & Interpretations

Goliath of Gath

Gath is identified with Tell es-Safi, one of the largest cities of the region in the 10th–9th centuries BC. An ostracon found there in 2005 bears two names, alwt and wlt, linguistically similar to Goliath; it does not name him. Goliath's height is six cubits and a span in the Hebrew, four and a span in 4QSam-a, the Greek and Josephus. 2 Samuel 21:19 credits Elhanan with killing Goliath.

Gath: strongly supported · Goliath: not attested outside the Bible · Height: disputed

1 What Scripture says

"There went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath" (17:4).

2 What evidence we might expect

  • A large Philistine city at Gath.
  • Non-Semitic Philistine names.
  • Aegean-style armor.

3 What ancient sources survive

Story of Sinuhe

Language
Egyptian
Composed
c. 1900 BC
Oldest surviving copy
Papyri of the 19th–18th centuries BC
Status
Not scripture

Sinuhe defeats a champion of Retenu in single combat.

4 What discoveries exist

Tell es-Safi (excavated since 1996 by Aren Maeir) was a major Philistine city destroyed around 830 BC by Hazael. The "alwt / wlt" ostracon (10th–9th century BC) shows names of an Indo-European type in use at Gath. Khirbet Qeiyafa overlooks the Elah valley from the east.

5 How interpretations compare

Traditional reading

A historical champion

Goliath was a real Philistine warrior killed by David.

Scholarly reconstruction

Elhanan's deed

2 Samuel 21:19 preserves an older tradition; the deed was later told of David.

Traditional reading

Two Goliaths or a scribal slip

1 Chronicles 20:5 (Elhanan killed Goliath's brother) reflects the original text of 2 Samuel 21:19.

6 The strongest supported reconstruction

Gath was real and powerful in the right period. Goliath is known only from the Bible; his height and his killer are reported differently in different texts.

7 What remains possible or unknown

  • Goliath's original height in the text.
  • The relationship between 1 Samuel 17 and 2 Samuel 21:19.

8 How this material came to us

See the passage pages on 17:4 and on the two editions of chapters 17–18.

What the evidence shows

  • Strongly supportedGath is Tell es-Safi.

    Source: A. M. Maeir et al., Tell es-Safi/Gath excavations; the "alwt/wlt" ostracon (2005)

  • Conflicts with current evidenceThe Gath ostracon names Goliath.
  • DisputedGoliath was six cubits tall.

    Source: F. M. Cross, D. W. Parry, R. J. Saley and E. Ulrich, Qumran Cave 4.XII: 1–2 Samuel (DJD XVII, 2005)

Where this connects