David and Goliath.
One day the Philistines gathered their armies against the people of Israel. The Israelites, under the leadership of King Saul, also prepared for war, stationed on a mountain opposite the Philistine troops. Three older brothers of David went with Saul's troops. After some time, the father sent David to the camp of Israel to bring bread for the brothers and learn about their needs and health.
When David came to the Israeli troops, he, having made his way to the brothers, suddenly saw a huge Philistine named Goliath, dressed in copper armor, a helmet and holding a huge spear and shield. Goliath laughed at the people of God, blasphemed the living God and said that if any of the Israelites defeated him, then the Philistines would be their slaves. However, no one from the camp of Israel dared to go out to fight Goliath, fearful and horrified at his sight. David, hearing Goliath slandering the living God and the army of Israel, approached Saul with a request to allow him to fight Goliath. Saul said to him: "... You are still a youth, but he is a warrior from his youth." But David told Saul how God had helped him fight the lions and bears while he was tending the sheep. Then Saul allowed him to fight and dressed him in armor and a brass helmet. But David was not accustomed to such weapons. He took it off himself. took his staff in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the shepherd's bag, and marched against the Philistine.
Goliath, seeing David walking towards him, began to laugh at him, saying: "Why are you coming at me with a stick? Am I a dog?" David answered him: "You go against me with a sword, a spear and a shield, and I go against you in the name of the Lord of hosts. God of the armies of Israel, which you reproached." Then David put his hand into his shepherd's bag, took out a stone from there, threw it from a sling and hit Goliath so that the stone hit Goliath right in the forehead and he fell dead to the ground. The Philistines, seeing that their strong man was killed, began to scatter, and the Israelite army defeated them.
1 KINGS 17:1-53
When David brought to show Saul the head of Goliath he had killed, Saul asked him, "Whose son are you?" David replied, "I am the son of Jesse who lives in Bethlehem." Jonathan, the son of King Saul, was present during the conversation. He was a tall and courageous young man. Jonathan fell deeply in love with David and made a friendly alliance with him. As a sign of this union, he gave David his clothes, belt, sword and bow. David also loved Jonathan.
However, Saul did not like their friendship. When David killed Goliath, the people glorified him, exclaiming: "Saul defeated thousands, and David - tens of thousands!" Hearing these songs, Saul was very upset, because he wanted glory only for himself. Since then, he became jealous of David and wanted to kill him.
Once, when an evil spirit disturbed him, and David played the harp in front of him, Saul threw a spear at him, but David, evading him, escaped. Several times Jonathan hid David from the wrath of his father and reproached Saul for his evil intention, saying: “Let not the king sin against his servant David; for he has not sinned against you, and his deeds are very beneficial to you. to strike the Philistine, and the Lord made a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why do you want to sin against innocent blood and kill David for no reason?" At first, Saul listened to his son and swore not to kill David.
I KINGS 17:57 - 58;18:1-11;19:1-6
Saul's hatred for David grew in his heart every day. Finally, he finally decided to kill David. Jonathan found out about this and informed his beloved friend. Then David fled from Saul and, having gathered a detachment of loyal people, hid with them in the mountains. Saul constantly pursued him with his army, but since God was with David, Saul could not catch him. David often had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he did not want to do him any harm because of his love and fear of God.
One day, Saul gathered a detachment of three thousand selected Israelites and went to look for David in the mountains. David learned that Saul had camped for the night with his soldiers on one of the hills. Then David took Abishai. his friend, and went down with him into the camp of Saul by night. where everyone slept. They approached the sleeping Saul and saw at his head a spear stuck in the ground. The friend said to David, "Let me take a spear and kill Saul with it." But David did not allow him to kill the anointed of God. saying that the day would come and the Lord Himself would strike him. They took Saul's spear and his pitcher of water and left.
The next day David stood on the top of the mountain opposite Saul's camp, and called Saul with a loud voice and showed him his things. Then Saul, seeing that David had not avenged him for all the evil he had done to him. said:
"I have sinned: return, my son David, for I will no longer harm you. Because my soul was dear now in your eyes: I acted foolishly and sinned a lot." Saul promised David not to persecute him again, but still he did not get rid of his hatred for him, because he did not ask God to forgive and correct his heart.
I KINGS 20:1-43:26:2-21
Novak Evgenia
David and Goliath
Summary of the myth
Michelangelo
Statue of David. 1501-1504
Academy of Fine Arts
Florence
David is one of the greatest personalities in Jewish history. The Bible tells about him in more detail than about any other historical figure, with the exception of Moses. David united the disparate Israelite tribes into a single people and turned the kingdom of Israel into a powerful state.
David was the second king of Israel. He was the youngest son of Jesse, a Bethlehemite from the tribe of Judah. David reigned for 40 years (ca. 1005 - 965 BC): seven years and six months was the king of Judah, then 33 years - the king of the united kingdom of Israel and Judea.
One of the most famous episodes of the Old Testament is the story of David and Goliath. The Bible tells that David and his family lived in the city of Bethlehem, south of Jerusalem. He was the youngest of eight sons. His three older brothers fought in King Saul's army, and David herded his father's sheep in the fields of Bethlehem. He was a diligent shepherd and did everything to protect his flock.
At that time, the people of Israel were waging war against the Philistines. There were many giants among the Philistine soldiers. The most powerful and powerful of them was the three-meter Goliath, who struck fear into the hearts of all the soldiers of King Saul. And then there was a custom: when two troops converged for battle, one soldier came out of each of them and they arranged a fair duel. In such duels, Goliath had already struck down many of Saul's best warriors.
His father told David to bring food and water to his brothers every day, and then return home and tell them what was happening on the battlefield.
Once David entered the camp of King Saul and heard the cries of Goliath. He asked the brothers who was screaming so loudly, and they told him about the giant.
David knew that the Lord was protecting him. So he went to King Saul and declared that he could slay the giant.
King Saul laughed and replied:
You can't beat this man, David. You are very young and have never fought, and Goliath has been studying to be a warrior for many years.
David replied:
I was tending my father's sheep, and when a bear or a lion wanted to carry off a lamb, I would run in pursuit and kill them. The Lord kept me from the wild beasts, He will keep me from the hand of this Philistine.
The youth's courage impressed Saul, and he said:
Fine, but let me give you a weapon so you have at least a chance of escape.
The king dressed David in heavy metal chain mail and a helmet, gave him a strong shield and a huge sword. But David was not used to military armor and felt uncomfortable in them. He thanked Saul for his help and said:
If I am destined to defeat Goliath, then I must do it in my own way. The Lord kept me from the lion and the bear, He will keep me now. I believe in Him and I don't need anything else.
He took off his chain mail and helmet, laid his shield and sword on the ground. Then he took his wooden staff and sling, picked up five smooth round stones from the ground and carefully placed them in his shepherd's sack.
Seeing David, the giant Goliath burst into laughter:
You insulted me! Am I a dog for you to approach me with stones and a stick!
David replied:
You may seek help from sword and spear, but I have faith - and its power is invincible.
With these words, David pulled out a smooth round stone from his bag, put it in his sling, drew back his hand and released the stone. The stone hit Goliath in the forehead, and the giant fell backwards with a terrible roar. David quickly ran up to the defeated enemy, drew his sword and cut off his head.
Seeing what had happened to their hero, the Philistines fled, but the soldiers of King Saul, inspired by the courage of David, rushed in pursuit and defeated the enemy army.
Images and symbols of myth
Caravaggio. David with the head of Goliath
1606-1607. Galleria Borghese, Rome
David- this is one of the most vivid images in the entire Old Testament. He embodies the image of a brave and confident warrior. David is the image of an ideal ruler. According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will come from the line of David. Over time, the image of David acquires the features of an immortal king-savior. Seems to be eternal "City of David"(Jerusalem) as the place of the future deliverance of the people. In the spirit of the theological interpretation of the Old Testament characters, David turns out to be a "type", "type", i.e., a previous incarnation of Jesus Christ, and the episodes of David's life are interpreted as the saving deeds of Jesus.
Of course, the image of David is accompanied by symbols, among which - sling and stones. They symbolize faith in the Lord God, thanks to which David defeated the giant. Also a symbol in this biblical story is severed head of Goliath which embodies the victory of good over evil.
Communicative means of creating images and symbols
Titian. David and Goliath. 1542-1544
Cathedral of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice
Many works of art from different eras and generations are dedicated to David. The most popular image of David as the winner of Goliath. His image was used in the plastic art of early Christian sarcophagi, paintings in the Roman catacombs, sculpture of the cathedral in Reims (13th century). The largest masters of sculpture (Donatello, Bernini, Michelangelo), as well as great painters (Titian, A. Pollaiolo, Caravaggio, G. Reni, Guercino, N. Poussin, Rembrandt, etc.) turned to the image of David. In fiction, the plot of the duel David a number of works are dedicated to Goliath. Including the poem by A.S. Pushkin:
Singer David was small in stature,
But he knocked down Goliath,
who was also a general,
And, I swear, not below the graph.
Among the works of the 20th century is the drama by A. Paul " David and Goliath" and the novel by the French writer Gerald Messadier "King David".
Among the composers who turned to history David in the 15th-17th centuries, - Josquin de Pre, G. Schutz. Among the works of the 18-19 centuries. - operas by M. A. Charpentier " David and Jonathan", A. Caldara "The Penitent David", N. Porpora " David and Bathsheba", P. A. Guglielmi "Triumph David", oratorios by C. A. Vadia, Mozart, N. Tsingarelli, cantata by J. Wiese " David". The most significant of the works of the 20th century is the symphonic poem by J. Wagenar" Saul and David", oratorio by A. Honegger" David", symphony by M. Avidoma" David", opera L. Cortese " David, shepherd king" and D. Millau " David". In the 19-20 centuries, music for the texts of psalms was created by F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, F. Schubert, J. Brahms, F. Liszt, A. Bruckner, M. Reger, I. F. Stravinsky ("Symphony of Psalms") , A. Schoenberg and other composers.
The social significance of the myth
Bernini. David. 1623
Galleria Borghese, Rome
Many people know the story of David and Goliath. This is one of the oldest narratives, which is repeated more often than others in the Bible. This story was often told to set an example of how a weak but brave warrior overcame a strong enemy.
The victory over the giant Goliath turned David into a typological prototype of Jesus, who overcame the devil. The duel with the formidable giant was seen as a duel between Christ and the Antichrist. Belief in the "son of David" Jesus became the central point of Christianity.
According to Jewish tradition, it was believed that the Messiah should come from the line of David, who would transform the world of violence and selfishness into a world where there would be no wars, and the whole earth would be filled with love for God and for people.
Ancient legends often took on a purely modern and not related to religious symbolism meaning. So it was in Renaissance Florence. For the Florentines, David became a national hero. In the young winner of Goliath, they saw a symbol of their city, which defended independence in the fight against powerful neighbors.
And, no doubt, that today for all of us this story is an example of courage and great self-confidence in all difficult periods of life.
Warrior, a descendant of the Rephaim giants in the Old Testament. Young David, the future king of Judea and Israel, (whom God himself ordered to choose) defeats Goliath in a duel with a sling, and then cuts off his head (1 Sam.). The victory of David over Goliath began the offensive of the Israeli and Jewish troops, who expelled the Philistines from their land (1 Kings). Koran (2.251)
According to another version, Goliath was killed by Elkhanan, the son of Yagare-Orgim of Bethlehem: “... There was another battle in Gobe; then killed Elchanan, the son of Yagare-Orgim of Bethlehem, Goliath the Githite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver's navoi ”(2 Sam.). The brother of Goliath, Lahmiya (also a giant, a descendant of Rephaim) was slain by Elhanam, the son of Jairus (1 Chr.).
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Old Testament
Goliath was an unusually strong warrior of enormous stature, a native of the city of Gath. Goliath was 6 cubits with a span, or 2.772 m (1 cubit = 42.5 cm, 1 span = 22.2 cm). The Philistine giant was dressed in scaly armor weighing about 57 kg (5000 copper shekels, 1 shekel \u003d 11.4 g) and copper knee pads, he had a copper helmet on his head, and a copper shield in his hands. Goliath carried a heavy spear, only the tip of which was a weight of 600 shekels of iron (6.84 kg), and a large sword [ ] .
David had no armor at all, and his only weapon was a sling. Saul ordered him to be dressed in copper armor and given a sword in his hands, but David was unaccustomed to carrying weapons, and therefore took off his armor. The Philistine giant considered it an insult to himself that a young man, still a boy, went out to fight him. Goliath and David were chosen by their fellow tribesmen for single combat, which was supposed to decide the outcome of the battle: the one who won the duel won the victory for his side. It seemed to everyone who watched what was happening that the result of the duel was a foregone conclusion, but physical strength does not always determine the outcome of the battle. Details of the single combat between Goliath and David, which took place in the oak valley between Succoth and Azekah in the southwest of Jerusalem, are described in the Bible, in the 17th chapter of the 1st Book of Kings:
... And the Philistine stepped forward, walking and approaching David, and the armor-bearer walked ahead of him ... And the Philistine said to David: “Why are you coming at me with sticks and stones? Am I a dog? And David said, "No, but worse than a dog." And the Philistine cursed David with his gods. And the Philistine said to David: "Come to me, I will give your body to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the earth." And David answered the Philistine: “You go against me with a sword and a spear and a shield, but I go against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which you reproached; Now the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will kill you, and take off your head, and I will give your corpse and the corpses of the army of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel; and all this host will know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for this is the war of the Lord, and He will deliver you into our hands.” When the Philistine got up and began to approach David, David hurriedly ran to meet the Philistine in the line. And David put his hand into his bag and took a stone from there, and threw it from a sling and struck the Philistine on the forehead, so that the stone stuck into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground, so David overcame the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him; the sword was not in the hands of David. Then David ran up and stepped on the Philistine, took his sword and drew it from its scabbard, struck him and cut off his head with it; The Philistines, seeing that their strong man had died, ran...
The sword of Goliath, preserved by David, was first kept in Nob, and then was transferred by him to Jerusalem.
The two armies met at a nameless valley, in the middle of which grew a single oak tree.
But no one dared to start first.
The warriors, located on the opposite slopes of the mountains, shouted at each other, cursed, rattled their weapons, but the matter did not go beyond this.
“And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a combatant named Goliath, from Gath; He is six cubits and a span in height. A copper helmet on his head; and he was clad in scale armor, and the weight of his armor was five thousand shekels of copper; bronze knee-caps on his feet, and a shield of brass over his shoulders. And the shaft of his spear is like a weaver's bow" (1. Kings. 17.4-7)
Goliath was as big and powerful as an old oak cabinet. He was wearing copper armor weighing forty kilograms. It could be profitably sold along with armor to a collection yard where non-ferrous metals are bought up.
This bronze idol glittering in the sun boastfully walked in front of the formation of the Philistines and, with its foolish appearance, offended the dignity of the Jews, offending their national pride. He loudly challenged to a duel any Israelite who would be ready to give his soul to God. But for some reason there were none.
“And the Philistine said, Today I will shame the armies of Israel; give me a man and we'll fight together. And Saul and all the Israelites heard these words of the Philistine, and they were very afraid, and were terrified ”(1 Kings 17.10-11)
You see how much fear Goliath overtook the Israelis, ringing with shiny copper chain mail and letting sunbeams into the enemy camp.
And then the Bible, as if nothing had happened, re-acquaints us with David, forgetting that it has already introduced him to us. It tells that David was the son of Jesse, who had eight sons. Although we have already made sure that there were seven of them.
David's three older brothers were in the militia. Jesse sent them reinforcements: bread and dried grains. And ten cheeses as a gift to their colonel. To keep an eye on his boys and not push them too far.
Finding the brothers, David politely inquired about their health.
- "What is the health, - one of them answered gloomily. - Look at this Philistine monster who abuses us with swear words. We feel that our end is coming.
A rumor spread among the people that the king would give his daughter and half of the kingdom as a wife to the daredevil who opposes Goliath and defeats him. Intrigued, David began to intensively question the militias if this was true.
“And Eliab, the elder brother of David, heard that he spoke with the people, and said: I know your arrogance and your evil heart; you came to see the battle" (1. Sam. 17.28)
Eliav knew his little brother well, who was aroused by the smell of human blood.
In the future, we will see more than once that the heart of the future king was really evil and cruel, and unholy plans were born in his head.
In response to his brother's words, David only shrugged his shoulders. And smiling, he answered: "These are just words. No one is allowed to speak". But, moving away, he continued to question the soldiers, subtly hinting that he would not refuse the princess and half of the kingdom.
These words were brought to the ears of Saul, and the king called David. And asked:
How can you, young man, handle this mature, battle-hardened husband, this gigantic giant?
Wise Saul smiled at this boast, but he had no choice. There were no other volunteers.
Here we give the word of the Bible. The feat of David is described in it so vividly and colorfully that it would be a sin to retell it in your clumsy words.
“And Saul clothed David in his garments, and put on his head a helmet of bronze, and put on him armor. And David girded himself with his sword beyond his garments, and began to walk; because he was not used to such weapons. Then David said to Saul, I cannot walk in this; I'm not used to; and David removed it all from himself.
And he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the stream, and put them into the shepherd's bag that was with him. And with a bag and a sling in his hand, he went out against the Philistine.
And the Philistine looked; and when he saw David, he looked at him with contempt, for he was young, blond, and handsome in face. And the Philistine said to David, Why are you coming at me with a stick? Am I a dog? Come to me and I will give your body to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.
And David answered the Philistine: you go against me with a spear, sword and shield, and I go against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which you reproached. Now the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will kill you. And I will take off your head.
So David overcame the Philistine with a sling and a stone. Then David ran up and, stepping on the Philistine, took his sword and pulled it out of its scabbard, struck him and cut off his head with it; The Philistines, seeing that their strong man had died, ran.
I want to draw your attention to the amazing fact that Saul did not recognize David, who was with him for some time a singer and armor-bearer. This is a clear proof that in the "First Book of Kings" ("First Samuel") several legends about King David are collected and rather clumsily arranged.
"When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army: Abner! Whose son is this young man? Abner said: I do not know.
When David returned after the defeat of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him to Saul. And Saul asked him, Whose son are you, young man? And David answered: the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem” (1 Sam. 17:55-58)
The rumor about the great feat of David quickly spread throughout the state, acquiring more and more details. The young shepherd instantly became a national hero...
And here the time has come to express another seditious thought: the feat of young David is exorbitantly inflated!
Speaking frankly it was not a feat at all. Because, performing a feat, a person consciously goes to certain death.
When a warrior rushes to the embrasure of the bunker, he accomplishes a feat. More than thirty cases are known when soldiers covered the fascist bunker with their chest, saving the lives of their comrades and allowing them to capture a strategic height. By the way, for your information, among these thirty heroes who performed feats for the glory of the Motherland, there were three Jews.
Some of the thirty fighters still survived. But this does not detract from their merits - they went to certain death.
David's act cannot be called a heroic act.. Because when you do something heroic, you risk your life.
The one who rushes into a burning house to save a child, the one who goes with a grenade to a tank, the one who breaks into a bandit's lair alone, are committing a heroic deed.
David's act cannot be called a bold act.. Because by committing a bold act, a person risks his health, risks being injured, mutilated, risks contracting a dangerous disease.
To enter unarmed into a cage with a lion, to grapple in single combat with a obviously stronger opponent, to stop a galloping horse, to treat a patient with typhus outside of hospital conditions - all these are bold deeds.
David's act was just an act. Even with a capital "P".
By asserting this, the author does not at all wish to diminish the merits of David. The author (also, by the way, David) has great respect for the people of Action, people of action, not words. Those who do something, and do not say that they could do even better. Having written this book, the author, without false modesty, believes that he has committed an Act.
Dexterous, strong, well-aimed throw of David was an Act without any high-quality definitions.
But the blond young man did not go to certain death, did not endanger either his life or his health. He risked no more than the risk of a hammer thrower in a sporting event.
The mighty Goliath, with his three-pound armor, posed absolutely no danger to David.
Judge for yourself: is a rhinoceros dangerous for a rabbit? Is a boa constrictor dangerous for an ant? A huge elephant is terrified of a small mouse. She can bite him, but he can't bite her. He can't even crush her. While raising and lowering the leg, the mouse will walk under it ten times back and forth.
It was not in vain that David abandoned the armor and the sword. They would only hamper his movements.
It was an unequal fight.
A huge advantage was on the side of David. He was light and agile, quickly moved across the field, could dodge a blow. But he did not even come into contact with Goliath, he was beyond the reach of the heroic sword. Not only was Goliath unable to cut him, but he could not even pinch such a nasty adversary. If Goliath had chased after David, the fight would have ended even more shamefully for him - he would have died of a broken heart.
There is a funny episode in Mark Twain's book A Yankee in King Arthur's Court. A young Yankee lad, abandoned by fate in medieval England, is challenged to a duel by one of King Arthur's formidable knights. Like David, he refuses armor, spears and a heavy armored horse. Sitting astride a donkey, armed with an ordinary broom, he easily deals with a knight, clumsy and heavy.
So did that Yankee accomplish the feat?
Haven't I convinced you yet? Well, you know! You are invincible and invincible, like the copper idol Goliath!
I'll have to use the last means of persuasion, I don't have any more for you.
Try to imagine a duel for the title of world champion between ... the champion of Japan in sumo wrestling and a snotty kid, the champion of Odessa Moldavanka in slingshot shooting.
And now I'll ask you: what do you think, who will be the first to ask for mercy from whom? I can bet ten to one that it won't be my little countryman!
In the first years after the war, the years of my hungry childhood, we played war with guns, sabers and pistols carved from wood. But the best weapon was a primitive slingshot.
To those who do not know what it is, I explain: this is a small branch in the shape of the letter "Y". An elastic band with a piece of leather attached to it was tied to two ears of this upsilon. A pebble was inserted inside the skin, the elastic was stretched and - bang! ding! - the glass in the window of the harmful neighbor was gone.
With slingshots they went from yard to yard, street to street. A gouged eye was not uncommon. A stone fired from a slingshot could have killed if it accidentally hit the temple. Some snipers achieved good results: from twenty paces they hit a wild pigeon or even a sparrow. Then there were no societies for the protection of animals, there was no one to protect people.
The Hebrew boys, like the boys of other nations, also played war. They were armed with wooden swords, spears, shields. But, unfortunately, there were no slingshots. Because there was no rubber, no glass windows.
But the most effective weapon was the sling.
A sling is a rawhide belt, the ends of which were folded to form a loop. The slinger put a smooth stone into the loop and quickly unwound the belt over his head. At the right moment, one end of the sling should have been released, so that the stone would fly as accurately as possible towards the target. The target could be some kind of gopher, a crow, and best of all, the head of a boy from a neighboring, hostile tribe, or a girl from a neighboring tent.
From early childhood, the guys competed with each other, whose throw would be more accurate. And with constant exercise, they achieved impressive results.
Among them were outstanding throwers, like the current golf champions. The best snipers, having reached adulthood, replenished the selected companies of slingers. Because the sling was a military weapon.
So well-aimed arrows were not such a rarity. Here is what the Bible writes about the army of the Benjamites: “Out of all this people there were seven hundred chosen people who were left-handed, and all of them, throwing stones at their hair with slings, did not throw past” (Judg. 20. 16).
You see - they hit the hair from a great distance! In one hair. And Goliath had a whole shock of this hair.
But having discarded jokes like stones from a sling, it should be stated quite seriously: David's strong, well-aimed throw decided the course of the battle. In this, of course, the merit of the young shepherd is undoubted. He saved many lives, provided the Israelis with an easy victory over a formidable and numerous enemy. And, of course, he deserved to be carried on his hands. Popular rumor gave this successful throw a heroic coloring, regarded it as a miracle, a happy omen. Undoubtedly, the common people believed that the Lord himself directs the hand of David. The Spirit of God came upon this guy. He is the chosen one of God!
But David's throw was no miracle. It is even possible that he made several throws until he hit Goliath. Because the Bible said he picked up some stones.
Now let's sum up.
David did not accomplish a feat and, unfortunately, was not a hero. He was a strong, well-aimed, dexterous guy, quite smart, self-confident and savvy. He managed to be at the right time in the right place. And won the jackpot in the lottery called Life.
The fact that he was not a hero is confirmed by his later life, described in detail in the Bible.
David never met danger face to face, was always on the side of the strong against the weak, and was very fond of dragging chestnuts out of the fire with the wrong hands.
And the last, most important note.
The legend of the fight between David and Goliath is so beautiful that it cannot be true! Most likely, this glorious victory is attributed to him by court flatterers.
A careful reading of the "First Book of Kings" makes it clear that this book (like some others) is a collection of legends about one hero, written down from the words of several storytellers.
One legend says that David was chosen by Samuel to replace Saul, who was objectionable to him.
In another legend David gets into the house of Saul by patronage, as a good master of playing the harp. Although it is a little unclear how the Russian national musical instrument fell into the hands of David?
According to the third story, David, like Joseph the Beautiful, became the favorite of the king and his armor-bearer.
But, having taken such a prominent position at court, David, by will fourth storyteller, is again transferred to his father's house, where he continues to herd sheep. The Bible introduces us to its favorite for the second time. The shepherd David brings bread to his elder brothers. And while they are having lunch, he jokingly cracks down on Goliath, the hero from Gath.
Saul, for some reason, does not recognize either his harpman or his squire. He asks the commander: "Who is this guy and who is his father?". But after all, he himself quite recently sent a messenger to Jesse, asking his consent for David to continue to delight his soul and protect his body. This shows how ungrateful and sclerotic kings are.
Not only did different storytellers tell their tales in different ways, but scribes also alternated. One scribe was too lazy to read what another wrote before him.
The third scribe, without further ado, kept a record of historical events, wars, battles, word for word, as he heard about it from the lips of the participants in the events, warriors and military leaders. And wrote it like this:
“There was another battle in Gobe; Then Elhanan, the son of Yagare, killed Orgim of Bethlehem, Goliath the Gethite, who had a spear shaft like a weaver's navoi ”(2 Kings 21.19).
Years, or maybe centuries later, the fourth scribe, sorting through the archives, stumbles upon this short message. And, possessing a violent imagination, wanting to please one of the descendants of King David, he begins to interpret it in his own way. And writes:
“And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a combatant named Goliath from Gath. A copper helmet on his head. Copper kneecaps on his feet, and a copper shield behind his shoulders. And the shaft of his spear is like a weaver's beam" (1 Sam. 17:4-7)
So this writer, starting from, perhaps, a real event, creates his own legend.
As you can see, we are talking about the same Goliath from Gath, a man of a heroic physique. And even his spear is the same. But, according to the new version, he is already a single combatant, and was killed not in battle, but in a duel, which is much more impressive.
It is not some ordinary Elkhanan who kills him, but the legendary King David. By the way, these two heroes come from the same city - Bethlehem. It is even possible that they were friends and competed in sling throwing. David not only kills Goliath, he terrifies and puts to flight the entire army of the Philistines. This is how myths about heroes are created.
We are constantly assured that everything written in the Bible is the holy truth. Word for word, letter for letter! Therefore, it remains to be assumed that Goliath, beheaded by David, nevertheless picked up his head, screwed it into place, and rushed into a new battle with renewed vigor. All with the same spear, converted from a weaving beam.
But, I ask you, what kind of hero is this if he allows himself to be killed twice in a row?
So who really killed Goliath?
What is this Elkhanan one that suddenly fell on our heads to undermine the heroic reputation of King David? It was as if we had never met with this name before. Let's try to look more carefully.
Ah, that's where you hid, my dear!
Quite by accident I discovered the name Elkhanana among the fifty names of war heroes. (2 Kings 23.24) True, here his father is not Yagare-Orgim, but Dodo. What to do, many biblical heroes have the peculiarity that they were born from two fathers at once.
As for the rest, everything fits. This is the same Elkhanan from Bethlehem.
I hope you understand that the feat that the king accomplished could not be attributed to a simple warrior? It was just the other way around. Moreover, the battle in question took place when David was already at an advanced age. And when David was a young man, Goliath had not yet been born. But he was already beheaded.
This is the Biblical Truth.
Naydis David
David and Goliath
David and Goliath
From the Bible. The Old Testament (1 Kings, ch. 17) speaks of the Fili-Stymian giant Goliath, with whom he entered into a confrontation
young hero David. He was incomparably weaker than the enemy and would have been defeated if he fought Goliath on equal terms. Davil defeated Goliath by killing him with a stone thrown from his sling.
Allegorically: about opponents who are strikingly different from each other in their physical and moral qualities.
Encyclopedic Dictionary of winged words and expressions. - M.: "Lokid-Press". Vadim Serov. 2003 .
See what "David and Goliath" is in other dictionaries:
Film RusNaz = David and Goliath OrigNaz = David E Golia Image = Genre = Drama Director = Ferdinando Baldi Richard Chalice Actors = Orson Welles imdb id = 0054788 Time = 95 min. Country = Italy Producer = Screenwriter = Composer = Operator = ... ... Wikipedia
GOLIATH- David and Goliath. Miniature from the Psalter. 13th century (Dionys. 60. Fol. 210v) David and Goliath. Miniature from the Psalter. 13th century (Dionys. 60. Fol. 210v) [Heb. ; ], a giant Philistine warrior, killed in single combat by Prop. David (1 Samuel 17). G. came from g ... Orthodox Encyclopedia
See David and Goliath. Encyclopedic Dictionary of winged words and expressions. Moscow: Locky Press. Vadim Serov. 2003. Goliath ... Dictionary of winged words and expressions
There is no card template for this article. You can help the project by adding it. This term has other meanings, see Goliath (meanings) ... Wikipedia
DAVID- prophet, 2nd and greatest king of Israel, founder of the Davidid dynasty, psalmist (commemorated on the Sunday after the Nativity of Christ, in the Cathedral of the Holy Fathers and in the Cathedral of the Holy Forefathers; commemorated on December 29). To him belongs the merit of the territorial and national ... ... Orthodox Encyclopedia
- (Heb. Dâvîd, possibly “favorite”), the king of the Israeli-Jewish state (10th century BC), the Old Testament narrative of which (1 Samuel 16 3 Kings 2, 11; 1 Chron. 10 29) gave him traits of an epic hero, the king of a warrior, and the subsequent ... ... Encyclopedia of mythology
- (Heb. Goliath). 1) the name of the Philistine giant, killed by David in single combat. 2) a common noun for people of outstanding height. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. GOLIATH Heb. Goliath. a)… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
DAVID, king of the Jewish state of Israel in con. 11th c. OK. 950 BC e. Proclaimed king of Judah after the death of Saul, David annexed the territories of the Israeli tribes to it and created a state. According to the Bible, the young shepherd David won in ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
- (Heb. gŏljat), in the Old Testament tradition (1 Samuel 17) a giant Philistine from Gath, defeated in single combat by David; in the second book of kings (21, 19) the conqueror G. bears the name Elkhanan. See Art. David. (
