| Battle of the Valley of Elah | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Later Israelite Campaigns | |||||||
David kills Goliath |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Israelites | Philistines | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Saul | Goliath † | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| unknown | unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| no reliable estimates | no reliable estimates | ||||||
|
|||||
The Battle of the Valley of Elah was a great battle between the Israelites and Philistines. Valley of Elah's engagement distinguished the young boy David killing the fierce Philistine warrior Goliath with a slingshot. Soon, the Israelites routed the demoralized enemy.
Saul and the men of Israel were assembled and encamped by the valley of Elah, and they set the battle in array against the Philistines and pitched by the valley of Elah. The account of the battle between David and Goliath is given in 1 Samuel, chapter 17. Saul and the Israelites are facing the Philistines at the Valley of Elah. Twice a day for 40 days, Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, comes out between the lines and challenges the Israelites to send out a champion of their own to decide the outcome in single combat. However, Saul and all the other Israelites are afraid of him. David is present, having brought food for his elder brothers. Told that Saul has promised to reward any man who defeats Goliath, David accepts the challenge. Saul reluctantly agrees and offers his armor, which David declines, taking only his sling and five stones chosen in a brook.
David and Goliath confront each other, Goliath with his armor and shield, David with his staff and sling. “The Philistine cursed David by his gods,” but David replies: “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that God saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is God’s, and he will give you into our hand.”
David hurls a stone from his sling with all his might, and hits Goliath in the center of his forehead. The Philistine falls on his face to the ground; David takes his sword and cuts off his head. The Philistines flee and are pursued by the Israelites “as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron.” David puts the armor of Goliath in his own tent and takes the head to Jerusalem, and Saul sends Abner to bring David to him. The king asks whose son he is, and David answers, ‘I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.’”