Why did goliath have a shield bearer

A cubit was the distance from the elbow to the fingertips. He appears to be one of the last survivors of the Rephaim. A race of giants implies a hereditary element and the origins of some names may indicate the genetic pathway involved.

The Hebrew word anaq may mean necklace Proverbs , or possibly goitre. This could suggest hyperthyroidism, possibly due to underlying pituitary gland, or other endocrine, dysfunction. Goliath, the Gittite, is the most well known giant in the Bible. From Samuel and Chronicles table I , we have drawn Goliath's pedigree figure 1. A literal interpretation of the verses suggests that his brother and three sons were also of giant stature.

Goliath's family tree is suggestive of a hereditary autosomal dominant pituitary gene, such as AIP 2. Bible references for the relatives in figure 1. Goliath's Pedigree. Affected members are shaded in black. Goliath was killed by David who threw a stone at his forehead Samuel This gives further evidence that he suffered from pituitary gland dysfunction; a pituitary tumour pressing on his optic chiasm, and consequent visual disturbance due to pressure on his optic nerve, would have made it difficult for him to see the stone in his lateral vision.

Pituitary giants look impressive in terms of stature, but may not have speed and agility to match their perceived strength. David, having agility, particularly having declined the heavy set of armour that was offered to him, and being skilled at sling shots, may have found a way around the fearsome looking giant by firing a sling shot from the side of the battlefield.

The fact that Goliath may have had a pituitary tumour was recognised by Vladimir Berginer in a paper in 3. In his description of the condition, he notes a painting of David and Goliath by Puget in the 18th century noting the appearance of acromegaly in the severed head of Goliath, and remarks that the painting was done more than one hundred years before Marie originally described the condition in He also helpfully comments that Goliath was killed by David severing his head, not from the impact of the stone which felled him, possibly due to brain contusion, but did not actually kill him directly.

Gigantism results when a growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma is present before epiphyseal fusion. Pituitary adenomas can be present in a number of genetic conditions, such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1, Carney complex, and Familial Isolated Pituitary Adenoma FIPA. FIPA is an autosomal dominant condition with incomplete penetrance, caused by germline mutations of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein AIP gene4.

Therefore, when he was going into battle, he would force an armor bearer to walk in front of him carrying his gigantic shield. That armor bearer, even if he was the tallest man of the Philistines, still had to carry a mighty big shield of brass.

It was so heavy that he likely could not carry any other armor for himself or weapons to defend his own life. After all, what was the army without its champion?

While he held up the shield he was totally exposed under it. Scriptures: 1 Samuel , 1 Samuel Back to the Basics. The Best Christmas Ever. The Always God. The Prince of Peace. Satan does the same to those who work for him. But God fights for us. Home Sermons Goliath's Armor Bearer. View all Sermons. Disclaimer: Due to the large amount of sermons and topics that appear on this site I feel it is necessary to post this disclaimer on all sermons posted. Download Sermon with PRO.

Browse All Media Related Media. Bordreuil, P. A note on the seal of Pecah the armor-bearer, future king of Israel. The Biblical Archaeologist 49 1 Brueggemann, W. New Cambridge Bible commentary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Charley, J. Armour and weapons. In: J. Douglas ed. Claassens, R. Dictionary of legal words and phrases. Durban: Butterworths. Electronic edition LexisNexis. Craigie, P. Word biblical commentary. Second edition. Colombia: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Crook, Z. Honor, shame, and social status revisited. Journal of Biblical Literature 3 De Backer, F. Evolution of war chariot tactics in the Ancient Near East. UF The Book of Psalms. The New International commentary on the Old Testament. DeSilva, D. Honor and shame. In: T.

Enns eds , Dictionary of the Old Testament. Douglas, J. Zondervan Illustrated Bible dictionary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Easton, M. Easton's Bible dictionary. Elwell, W. Tyndale Bible dictionary. Fensham, F. Bybelse aardrykskunde, oudheidkunde en opgrawings.

Pretoria: Interkerklike Uitgewerstrust. Firth, D. Cries of the oppressed: Prayer and violence in the Psalms. In: M. Wilgus eds , Wrestling with the violence of God. Ford, J. Gerstenberger, E. Part 1, with an introduction to cultic poetry. Goldingay, J. Psalms, Vol 1: Psalms Baker commentary on the Old Testament wisdom and Psalms.

Grosheide, F. Bybelse ensiklopedie. Kaapstad: Verenigde Protestantse Uitgewers. Hobbs, R. The language of warfare in the New Testament. In: P. Esler ed. Social-scientific studies of the New Testament in its context London: Routledge , pp. Hobbs, T. A time of war. A study of warfare in the Old Testament. Wilmington, DE: Michael Glazier. Judge, E. In: I. Marchall, A. Packer eds , New Bible dictionary. Keel, O. The symbolism of the biblical world. Ancient Near Eastern iconography and the Book of Psalms.

New York: Seabury Press. Kelle, B. Warfare imagery. Klassen, W. War in the New Testament. In: D. Freedman ed.

Kraus, H-J. A continental commentary. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. Mafico, T. Just, justice. Malina, B. The New Testament world. Insights from cultural anthropology. Mastin, B. Supplements to Vetus Testamentum Mattingly, G. Achtemeier ed. Miller, P. When the gods meet: Psalm 82 and the issue of justice. Journal for Preaching 9 4 They cried to the Lord.

There is no doubt that what his brother Eliab said hurt him, but he would not let it hinder him. When David was misunderstood and publicly rebuked by his own brother, probably amid the laughs of the other soldiers, he could have quit.

But he showed the strength of the armor of God in his life and replied rightly. Goliath was a dead man right then. This is where the battle was won. Goliath was defeated right then. The word-battle in which he had to engage with his brothers and with king Saul, was a more trying ordeal to him than going forth in the strength of the Lord to smite the uncircumcised boaster. Many a man meets with more trouble from his friends than from his enemies; and when he has learned to overcome the depressing influence of prudent friends, he makes short work of the opposition of avowed adversaries.

Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine : Saul waited a long time — at least 40 days — to hear someone say these words.

But to hear them now, from the mouth of this boy, almost seemed like a cruel joke. The bad news is that he is a little shepherd boy. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine : These are bold words. This is the first time David specifically volunteered to battle Goliath. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.

You are not able… you are but a youth : Saul thought David was disqualified because of his age, size, and inexperience. This shows that Saul looked at the battle purely in natural, outward terms. How can you ever defeat him? Your servant has killed both lion and bear : God prepared David for this exact battle when David was a lowly shepherd. A lion attacked the lambs and David fought the lion. A bear came against the sheep and David battled the bear. All along, God prepared David to fight Goliath.

How long did David prepare to fight Goliath? All of his life, up to that day. He calls us to be faithful right where we are and then uses our faithfulness to accomplish greater things. If David ran scared at the lion or the bear, he would never have been ready to fight Goliath now. But he was faithful then, so he will be faithful now.

Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them : David increases in boldness as the story progresses. First, he said someone should fight Goliath for a righteous cause 1 Samuel , Then he said he would fight Goliath 1 Samuel Now he says he will kill Goliath. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine : As a shepherd facing lions and bears, David had no idea he was being trained to fight a giant.

In the midst of our preparation we rarely see how God will use it. Yet now, David can look back and know that the same God who delivered him before will also deliver him now. So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And he drew near to the Philistine. So Saul clothed David with his armor : Saul was still in the natural, in the flesh, in the things that are merely outward.

He figured that if this boy were going to beat Goliath, he needed the best armor in all Israel — the armor of the king. Armor, military technology, or human wisdom would not win this battle. They see God do something wonderful through someone else and they try to copy it without really making it their own. God wants us to trust in Him and Him alone. What God used before, He would use again. Why did David choose five stones? He only needed one to kill Goliath. Some suggest — somewhat humorously — that it was because Goliath had four relatives who were also giants, whom David and his associates later killed 2 Samuel And he drew near the Philistine : This is where it mattered.

But if he never went into the battle, what would it matter? Ultimately, David had the faith not just to talk, not just to renounce, not just to prepare, but also to actually draw near the Philistine.

So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. Adding to that, it was two against one because Goliath had an armor bearer with him. When the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him : The idea behind looked about is almost that Goliath had to look around to find David.

David was so small compared to this man that Goliath had a hard time even seeing him. But when he did see him he disdained him.