Goliath of Gath, a champion of the Philistines, when at war with the Israelites, as recounted in I Samuel,
XVII. For forty days at morning and evening this giant, whose height was "six cubits and a span," presented himself before the Israelites and dared any one among them to come forth and fight with him, but none would accept the challenge. At last Goliath is slain by the boy David, who refuses all armor and all weapons except his sling and "five smooth stones out of the brook." He goes forth trusting in the Lord who "delivered him out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear," and the stone from his sling "smote the Philistine in his forehead
and the stone sunk into his forehead," and he fell to the earth. Then David ran and stood upon the giant, took his sword and cut off his head which he carried to King Saul. The Philistines, seeing their champion dead, lost heart and took to flight. The Israelites pursued them, returning victorious.
