1 Samuel 17:4

17:4 Then a champion ¹  came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall. ² 

1 Samuel 21:9

David Goes to Gath

21:9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the valley of Elah, is wrapped in a garment behind the ephod. If you wish, take it for yourself. Other than that, there’s nothing here.” David said, “There’s nothing like it! Give it to me!”

1 Samuel 22:10

22:10 He inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

1 Samuel 22:2

22:2 All those who were in trouble or owed someone money or were discontented ³  gathered around ⁴  him, and he became their leader. He had about four hundred men with him.

1 Samuel 21:1

21:1 (21:2) David went to Ahimelech the priest in Nob. Ahimelech was shaking with fear when he met ⁵  David, and said to him, “Why are you by yourself with no one accompanying you?”

¹ tn Heb “the man of the space between the two [armies].” See v. 23.

² tc Heb “his height was six cubits and a span” (cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV). A cubit was approximately eighteen inches, a span nine inches. So, according to the Hebrew tradition, Goliath was about nine feet, nine inches tall (cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “over nine feet”; NCV “nine feet, four inches”; TEV “nearly 3 metres”). However, some Greek witnesses, Josephus, and a manuscript of 1 Samuel from Qumran read “four cubits and a span” here, that is, about six feet, nine inches (cf. NAB “six and a half feet”). This seems more reasonable; it is likely that Goliath’s height was exaggerated as the story was retold. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 286, 291.

³ tn Heb “bitter of soul.”

⁴ tn Heb “to.”

⁵ tn Heb “trembled to meet.”