David: God's own heart The Giant if Gath

 Goliath: The Giant of Gath

The enemy that stood in the valley of Elah was no mere soldier. Goliath of Gath was a giant—towering in stature, cloaked in bronze, and armed with iron. The biblical account in 1 Samuel 17 describes him as over nine feet tall (six cubits and a span), though some ancient manuscripts suggest a height closer to seven feet. Either way, Goliath was an intimidating figure, a warrior whose presence paralyzed the men of Israel.

Goliath hailed from Gath, a Philistine stronghold known for harboring the last of the Anakim—an ancient race of giants descended from Anak, linked to the Rephaim and possibly even the Nephilim of Genesis 6. These giants had once struck fear into the hearts of Israel during their journey to the Promised Land, and now one stood again—mocking God and His people.

According to 2 Samuel 21, Goliath was not alone. He had brothers or kin—other warriors of great size and strength. The Philistines revered these men of might, symbols of their dominance. But their pride would soon crumble before a shepherd’s faith.

The Midrash and Jewish tradition deepen this image of Goliath, portraying him not just as a warrior but as a spiritual threat, a personification of arrogance and pagan might. His family line—whether through the Anakim or the Philistine bloodline—was steeped in resistance to God’s covenant people.

Some Midrashic accounts even hint that Goliath may have been descended from the same corrupted line destroyed in the flood, reviving the ancient enemies of righteousness. To defeat him was not just to win a battle—it was to break an ancient stronghold.

As Goliath mocked Israel for forty days, David came not with armor, but with obedience. He bent beside a brook and picked up five smooth stones. But these were not just stones—they were symbols.

The Midrash teaches that the stones cried out to David:

“By me and through me, the name of God will be sanctified!”

Some sages say the stones represented the five righteous heroes of Israel’s past—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses—whose merit David carried into battle. Others believe the stones stood for the Five Books of Moses, symbolizing the Torah.