Goliath and 10 foot tall people?
1888 portrayal of David and Goliath
(Public domain via WIkipedia)
The Bible teaches:
4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. (1 Samuel 17:4)
Though there are debates about the length of that cubit, Goliath could have been about 9 feet, 9 inches, tall.
Skeptics argue that there is no archaeological evidence that giants of this size existed in the ancient Near East. (Williams A. How Tall Was Goliath In The Bible? January 14, 2024 https://www.christianwebsite.com/how-tall-was-goliath-in-the-bible-kjv/)
But those skeptics are wrong. Furthermore, it has been asserted that:
Many giant skeletons ranging from 7 feet to over 9 feet tall have been unearthed across the Middle East. In 1833, for example, soldiers discovered a jawbone in Lompock Rancho, California that measured an incredible 9.8 inches from the lower jaw to the back molar, nearly 3 times larger than an average human’s. The skull it came from would have had to be over 12 feet tall! Other skeletons of incredible height have been found in places like Catalonia, France and throughout the Middle East. (Ibid)
Yet, some have claimed that since the average height of an adult male 3000 years ago was about 5 feet, 3 inches, that the Bible is not reliable as it supposedly exaggerates Goliath’s height.
Notice for example the following from Wikipedia:
Goliath (/ɡəˈlaɪəθ/ gə-LY-əth)[a] is a Philistine warrior in the Book of Samuel. Descriptions of Goliath’s immense stature vary among biblical sources, with the Masoretic Text describing him as 9 feet 9 inches (2.97 m) tall. …
Modern scholars believe that the original slayer of Goliath may have been Elhanan, son of Jair, who features in 2 Samuel 21:19, in which Elhanan kills Goliath the Gittite,[3] and that the authors of the Deuteronomic history changed the original text to credit the victory to the more famous character David. …
The oldest manuscripts, namely the Dead Sea Scrolls text of Samuel from the late 1st century BCE, the 1st-century CE historian Josephus, and the major Septuagint manuscripts, all give Goliath’s height as “four cubits and a span” (6 feet 9 inches or 2.06 metres), whereas the Masoretic Text has “six cubits and a span” (9 feet 9 inches or 2.97 metres).[13][1] Many scholars have suggested that the smaller number grew in the course of transmission … (Goliath. Wikipedia, accessed 04/26/24)
Wikipedia’s anti-biblical bias is clear in many of its religious articles. Instead of accepting what the Bible says, it often looks to get OPINIONS OF MEN as opposed to it. Let me add that the ‘Masoretic Text’ is what we call the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament. The Septuagint, which has Goliath as shorter, was a translation of that text into Greek, and hence not the original text.
One such man who Wikipedia paid attention to was Daniel Hays. Here is something about his research from a researcher who disagrees:
Daniel Hays, in his article “Reconsidering the Height of Goliath” in the December 2005 issue of the Journal, argued that the giant Goliath, who was killed by David, was only 6 feet 9 inches tall and not 9 feet 9 inches. … Hays in his article argues that there is a textual error, made by a sloppy or exaggerating scribe, in the height of Goliath as given in the mt. He correctly notes that one Hebrew text [4QSama] from the dss and most versions of the lxx give Goliath’s height as 4 cubits and a span instead of 6 cubits and a span. According to Hays, this 4-cubits reading should be adopted; this means that Goliath was only 6 feet 9 inches and not 9 feet 9 inches tall …
In his article, Hays correctly notes that the average Jewish male was between 5 feet and 5 feet 3 inches tall at that time. …
The 6 cubits and a span given for the height of Goliath in the Hebrew mt is the original reading; it is not a textual error. (Billington CE. GOLIATH AND THE EXODUS GIANTS: HOW TALL WERE THEY? Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 50/3 (September 2007) 489–508 https://etsjets.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/files_JETS-PDFs_50_50-3_JETS_50-3_489-508_Billington.pdf)
Of course, we should believe the Bible.
And the Bible points to 9 feet, 9 inches, and even if a shorter cubit was used, some have concluded that Goliath would have been 8 foot 8 or perhaps 8 foot 7 (Ibid, pp. 494, 508).
Whenever you hear some ‘expert’ claim something in the word of God is in error, remember that the Bible teaches:
4 … Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. (Romans 3:4)
The Bible also warns:
20 … Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge — 21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)
Do not be one who loses faith from things falsely considered as knowledge by various ones in the world.
That said, it is not blind faith to believe that a man could be over 9 feet tall.
Yesterday, a reader sent me a link to the following:
April 25, 2024
Mythology, folklore and even the Bible tell us that giants once roamed the Earth. And, it turns out, there’s evidence to back this claim.
Extraordinary human remains have been found in the US state of Nevada, with some of the skeletons measuring up to 10 feet tall.
Alongside their jaw-dropping size, the bodies – some of which were said to have been mummified – were found to have had red hair. …
These remains measured 8.5 and 10 feet in height respectively, and were mummified in a manner similar to that employed by the Ancient Egyptians. …
Furthermore, high up in the Andes, between Peru and Bolivia, skeletons with elongated skulls have been found.
The remains are said to be around 3,000 years old and much larger than normal human ones.
Intriguingly, some of them were also found to have red hair.
According to Archaeology World, some scientists attribute this reddish colour to the environment in which the bodies were buried. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/10-foot-tall-people-discovered-by-archaeologists-in-nevada-cave/ar-AA1mHpiU?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=dfc2876a3b6e44e9956f58775d0a7292&ei=73
There were also other tall ancient people like the Shashu:
American biblical scholars have for so long largely ignored these references to the Shasu of Yahweh. Egyptian texts that suggest that the Egyptians classified all Apiru, Amorites, Amalekites, Moabites, Ammonites, Kenites, Edomites,
and Midianites as Shasu … Shasu giants are mentioned in an ancient Egyptian text titled The Craft of the Scribe, which is found in Papyrus Anastasi I and which dates to ca. 1250 bc. … James P. Allen, who translated The Craft of the Scribe in the three-volume set The Context of Scripture, states in a footnote that “4 and 5 cubits” means that these Shasu ranged from “6 feet 8 inches to 8 feet 6” inches tall. … (Billington, pp. 504-506)
Let me add that Goliath was killed c. 1000 BC. So, there are accounts of people in the Middle East and the Americas about the time of Goliath who were near his height.
Some have wondered if Goliath and even David actually existed or were simply myths as very moderens have asserted.
Well, there are a couple of pieces of pottery that are consistent with the existence of Goliath that have been found. In 2005, researchers (Aren M. Maeir, Stefan J. Wimmer, Alexander Zukerman, Aaron Demsky A Late Iron Age I/Early Iron Age II Old Canaanite Inscription from Tell eṣ-Ṣâfī/Gath, Israel: Palaeography, Dating, and Historical-Cultural Significance. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research, No. 351, Aug., 2008,, pp. 39-71) reported about what others have called ‘Goliath Ostracon.’
An ostracon is a piece of pottery that people write on.
Related to that ancient piece of pottery, the chief investigator, Aren M. Maeir, later posted:
Bottom line: 1) the inscription demonstrates that ca. the 10th/9th cent. BCE, names very similar to Goliath were in use at Philistine Gath. This does provide some cultural background for the David/Goliath story; 2) that already early in Iron IIA, the Philistines adopted the Semitic writing systems. https://gath.wordpress.com/2006/02/16/comment-on-the-news-item-in-bar-on-the-goliath-inscription/
While that does not prove the existence of the biblical Goliath, it is proof that the name Goliath existed at around the right time.
That said that there is also other archeological evidence that relates to the fact that David slew Goliath of Gath. Here is a report from back in 2008 about something called now called the ‘Qeiyafa Ostracon’:
‘Proof’ David slew Goliath found as Israeli archaeologists unearth ‘oldest ever Hebrew text’
Daily Mail, UK – Oct 30, 2008
Astounding new evidence has been unearthed in Israel that could confirm the biblical story of King David.
Until now, almost nothing has been found that would prove the biblical account of a shepherd boy from the 10th century BC who slew the giant Goliath and went on to become the King of Israel who founded Jerusalem.
But today Hebrew University archaeology professor Yosef Garfinkel announced the discovery of a tiny, but potentially invaluable, piece of pottery at the site of the ruins of an ancient fortified city south-west of Jerusalem dated to the time of King David.
Garfinkel said that it carried the earliest-known Hebrew inscription, some 850 years earlier than the Dead Sea Scrolls. …
The pottery fragment was inscribed with five rows of text in black ink divided by black lines written in an early Hebrew-Canaanite script…
Detailed excavations began only earlier this year.
The fortress would have controlled the ancient trading route from Jerusalem to the coast and overlooks the plain where David engaged in his legendary mortal combat with Goliath, giant champion of the rival Philistines.
Goliath’s home town of Gath was unearthed just a few miles away to the south.
“The chronology and geography of Elah Fortress create a unique meeting point between the history, historiography and origins of the early Davidic Kingdom,” said Garfinkel.
Additional Photos, source at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1081850/Proof-David-slew-Goliath-Israeli-archaeologists-unearth-oldest-Hebrew-text.html
While we who believe the Bible do not need additional proof, it is always nice when archeologists provide additional support for the biblical accounts–especially since many who dismiss the Bible have indicated that its stories (such as the one that David slew Goliath) were myths and not based upon reality.
Hopefully those who have discounted the accuracy of the Bible will re-examine their positions and take the Bible as seriously as it should be taken.
As far as evidence for King David goes, we put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy:
King David: Any Archaeological Proof?
The Bible talks a lot about King David of Israel–he is mentioned in books in the Hebrews scriptures and the New Testament. Is there any physical proof, archaeological evidence that he existed? Or, as some at Wikipedia put it, is he only a legend like King Arthur or Homer’s epic tales? Did Professor Yosef Garfinkel of Hebrew University conclude that King David ruled over fortified cities like the Bible points out? Do ancient tablets found at Mari point to the rule of King David? Does the Mesha Stele help prove that King David was real? What about the Tel Dan Stele? Does the Bible warn about false knowledge, false science, and deceiving people who will not hold to scripture? Was there really a town of Ziglag that David fled to? Could there be a successor to King David alive today? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie go over these matters and discuss archaeological proofs related to King David.
Here is a link to our video: King David: Any Archaeological Proof?
UPDATE 04/28/24: Regarding Goliath, we just uploaded the following video:
Could Goliath Have Been 9 Feet Tall?
he Bible says that Goliath of Gath was six cubits and a span (1 Samuel 17:4, Masoretic Text). Various ones put that to be between 8 feet 6 inches to 9 feet 9 inches? Skeptics say that was not possible, and that his height grew because of exaggerations. Could Wikipedia or Daniel Hays be right that the wrong height has been pushed? Is there skeletal evidence that points to people being that tall 3,000 or so years ago? Did David kill Goliath? Is there any archaeological evidence that the Philistines even used names like ‘Goliath’ three thousand years ago? What about the so-called ‘Goliath Ostracon’? Were David and Goliath real or just myths? What about the ‘Qeiyafa Ostracon’? Do scholars know true facts that contradict the Bible? What about the Exodus? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these matters.
Here is a link to our video: Could Goliath Have Been 9 Feet Tall?
As I have written before, over time, properly understood archaeological evidence always will support the biblical account.
Items of possibly related interest may include:
Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? Are there lost gospels? What about the Apocrypha? Is the Septuagint better than the Masoretic text? What about the Textus Receptus vs. Nestle Alland? Was the New Testament written in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Which translations are based upon the best ancient text? Did the true Church of God have the canon from the beginning? Here are links to related sermons: Let’s Talk About the Bible, The Books of the Old Testament, The Septuagint and its Apocrypha, Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and Lost Books of the Bible, and Let’s Talk About the New Testament, The New Testament Canon From the Beginning, English Versions of the Bible and How Did We Get Them?, What was the Original Language of the New Testament?, Original Order of the Books of the Bible, and Who Gave the World the Bible? Who Had the Chain of Custody?
Is God’s Existence Logical? Is it really logical to believe in God? Yes! Would you like Christian answers to give atheists? This is a free online booklet that deal with improper theories and musings called science related to the origin of the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and evolution. Two animated videos of related interest are also available: Big Bang: Nothing or Creator? and A Lifegiver or Spontaneous Evolution?
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but … These videos cover nearly all of the book, plus have some information not in the book.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There are also two related YouTube videos you can watch: Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated and God’s and Satan’s Plan for Jerusalem.
Read the Bible Christians should read and study the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
Biblical Archaeology This is a website that has more information on biblical archeological as is sometimes known as the Bib Arch site.
The Old Testament Canon This article shows from Catholic accepted writings, that the Old Testament used by non-Roman Catholics and non-Orthodox churches is the correct version.
Old Testament History This is a link to articles that essentially back up the historical accuracy of the Hebrew scriptures (AKA The Old Testament).
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