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Saul and the Israelite soldiers also gathered together. Their camp was in the Valley of Elah. Saul’s soldiers were lined up and ready to fight the Philistines. The Philistines were on one hill. The Israelites were on the other hill. The valley was between them.

The Philistines had a champion fighter named Goliath, who was from Gath. He was over 9 feet[a] tall. Goliath came out of the Philistine camp.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 17:4 over 9 feet Literally, “6 cubits and 1 span” (2.9 m). Josephus, most copies of the ancient Greek version, and a Hebrew scroll from Qumran all have “4 cubits and 1 span.” This is 6' 6" (2 m) for the short cubit or 7' 7" (2.33 m) for the long cubit.

Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah(A) and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.

A champion named Goliath,(B) who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 17:4 That is, about 9 feet 9 inches or about 3 meters