1 Samuel 17

The Valley of Elah; Nephilim, Giants; Goliath; Iron age; Palestine; Simon bar

Kokhba

The Valley of Elah in central Israel.

BIBLE IN FIVEPastor Dave Kooyers

Valley Bible Fellowship

Box 433

Boonville CA 95415http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers

www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org

(707) 895-2325

God bless you as you examine His Word,

Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ"(Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge.

Matthew 10:8 …Freely you received, freely give.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 17:1-3

Valley of Elah, George Gunn

• “Here in the Valley of Elah, young David, son of Jesse, gathered five smooth stones, and armed with nothing more that a simple sling, slew the great Philistine champion, Goliath. Visiting the site of this famous battle makes the Biblical text come alive in a way no story book can do. Come with us [… in] the Shasta Bible College Israel tour. You could even bring back 5 smooth stones from the Valley of Elah for your own protection from giants!”

• George Gunnhttps://www.facebook.com/ggunn.sbc?fref=nf

• George Gunnhttps://www.facebook.com/ggunn.sbc?fref=nf

1 Samuel 17:2 The Valley Of Elah

• “Today's photo from Israel365's very own Aliza Abrahamowitz was taken at the historic Elah Fortress (in Hebrew, Khirbet Qeiyafa). The ruins were uncovered in 2007 just miles from the Israel365 office in Beit Shemesh. Archaeologists believe it may contain the ruins of King David's palace.”

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1 Samuel 17:2 The Valley Of Elah

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1 Samuel 17:2, Extension of Elah Valley on its southeastern side, Wadi es Sur, wikimedia.org

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1 Samuel 17:2, Valley of Elah viewed from the top of Tel Azeka., wikimedia.org

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Yosef Symonds' spectacular photo of Lupin Hill in central Israel. In this valley was the ancient showdown between David and Goliath. Today it is

known for the beautiful lupin flowers of early spring.

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1 Samuel 17:2, Elah Valley

• Vernon Peterman said, “I went to Israel Feb 15-28, [2015?] … Here is one place we went: Khirbet Qeiyafa - one of King David's fortresses, overlooking the Elah Valley, where David fought Goliath in earlier years before he was the King. So glad I was able to retrieve all my photos!”

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• Vernon Peterman

1 Samuel 17:2, The Valley of Elah in the Days of Saul and David

• Dr. Scott Stripling describes the ruins at Khirbet Qeifaya, where King Saul and David fought in battle against the Philistines at the Elah Valley. A pottery shard with Hebrew writing was discovered here in 2008.

• http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2013/02/12/The-Valley-of-Elah-in-the-Days-of-Saul-and-David.aspx

1 Samuel 17:2, The Valley of Elah in the Days of Saul and David

1 Samuel 17:4, Nephilim

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:4 Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

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1 Samuel 17:4, Nephilim

• For a more complete study of the Nephilim go to my Deuteronomy 2-3 SlideShare;

• https://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers/deuteronomy-23-remember-provoking-god-is-not-an-indian-giver-giants-in-the-land-nephilim-gigantes-hardened-hearts-iron-steel-oopart-ooparts?qid=5dca12de-82e9-41d4-9667-ee8ff318defb&v=&b=&from_search=1

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Nephilim

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The following slides without this background are from;Harry Morgan, Ph.D., LMHC, Mental Health Forensic Examiner (sex offenses) at Biblical Counseling Center of Palmetto, FLhttp://www.slideshare.net/sanctitas/nephilim-53022006?related=2

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1 Samuel 17:4, Nephilim

• NAU Genesis 6:4 The Nephilim [giants” in NKJ, KJV]

were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

• But, remember that Goliath and the other huge persons mentioned in the Bible do not have to be Nephilim. Humans have been recorded up to the present day at heights of up to, and over, 10 feet tall.

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Acts and Facts on Biblical Giants

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:4 …six cubits and a span.

• On 1 Samuel 17 and Numbers 13:32-33, Dr. Randy Guliuzza, P.E., M.D., at ICR concludes “…Considering the wide range of human heights today (which encompassed a bit larger range 3500 years ago), it is a very is a very reasonable and straightforward explanation that these biblical giants were so large simply because of normal human variability." Acts and Facts June 2013 page 20

1 Samuel 17:4, TODAY'S CREATION MOMENTARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND GOLIATH

• “Sometimes you just have to feel sorry for Bible skeptics who cast doubt on the historical accuracy of the Bible. With each passing year, archaeologists keep finding evidences that the Bible is thoroughly reliable!

• Lithograph: David and Goliath by Osmar SchindlerTake, for instance, the story of David and Goliath. Bible skeptics insist that the biblical account has no connection to reality. But in 2005, archaeologists digging at the biblical home of Goliath unearthed a shard of pottery bearing an inscription of the Philistine's name.

• While the discovery does not prove Goliath's existence, it does support the Bible's depiction of life at the time of the

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1 Samuel 17:4, TODAY'S CREATION MOMENTARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND GOLIATH

• supposed battle, said excavation director Dr. Aren Maeir of Israel's Bar-Ilan University. "What this means is that at the time there were people there named Goliath," he said. "It shows us that David and Goliath's story reflects the cultural reality of the time."

• Though many skeptics tell us that David slaying the giant Goliath is a myth written down hundreds of years later, Dr. Maeir said that finding the inscription gives credence to the biblical story. As reported in Great Britain's The Independent, "The shard dates to about 950 BC, within 70 years of when biblical chronology says David squared off against Goliath, making it the oldest Philistine inscription found. It was at Tel es-Safi in southern Israel, thought to be the site of the Philistine city of Gath."

• Clearly, the Bible's account of David and Goliath is no tall tale!”• Notes: Rachel Hoag, "Shard of pottery supports Bible account of David and Goliath," The Independent, 11/11/05. Lithograph: David and Goliath by Osmar

Schindler (c. 1888). (PD)

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1 Samuel 17:4, Goliath

• Vernon Peterman said, “I went to Israel Feb 15-28 [2015], Here is one place we went: Khirbet Qeiyafa - one of King David's fortresses, overlooking the Elah Valley, where David fought Goliath in earlier years before he was the King.”

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1 Samuel 17:4, Goliath

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:4 Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

• Vernon Peterman said, “I went to Israel Feb 15-28 [2015], Here is one place we went: Khirbet Qeiyafa - one of King David's fortresses, overlooking the Elah Valley, where David fought Goliath in earlier years before he was the King.”

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1 Samuel 17:4, Goliath

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:4 Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

• Vernon Peterman said, “I went to Israel Feb 15-28 [2015], Here is one place we went: Khirbet Qeiyafa - one of King David's fortresses, overlooking the Elah Valley, where David fought Goliath in earlier years before he was the King.”

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1 Samuel 17:4, Goliath

• Vernon Peterman said, “In going to Khirbet Qeiyafa, we crossed over the brook from which David chose five smooth stones (1 Samuel 17:40).”

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• Vernon Peterman said, “Aerial View of Khirbet Qeiyafa, excavated 2008-2013, a fortress used during the time of King David. It would hold about 700 people, had two gates - rare for a fortress, since gates were a weak point in the wall.”

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• Vernon Peterman said, “ One of the two gates, having four chambers behind the gate. 2 Samuel 18:24, “Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall….”

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• Vernon Peterman said, “Here are the gatepost bases for the gates. Those needed to be large in order to keep attackers from undermining or dislodging them.”

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• Vernon Peterman said, “The oldest known Hebrew writing was found here at Khirbet Qeiyafa in 2008.”

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• Vernon Peterman said, “My wife, Nancy, standing next to the other one of the fortress gates.”

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1 Samuel 17:5-7

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:5 And he had a bronzehelmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. 7 And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him.

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1 Samuel 17:5-7

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:5 …bronze … 7 …his spear …iron…

• Archaeologists like to ascribe metals to various ages of human history, bronze age, Iron age, etc..

• Scripture makes no such distinctions.

• NAU Genesis 4:21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 …Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron…

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, "Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.

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• Pride? 1 Samuel 17:8 …Am I not the Philistine…

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Sling

1 Sam 17:8, Sling Not Slingshot

Let’s read 1 Samuel 17:9-37

• “touch锕 Challenge accepted, brace yourself you

giant!

1 Samuel 17:23, Gaza, in Gath

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:23 As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them.

• Archaeologists find the gate to Goliath's hometown

• Elizabeth Armstrong Moore, Newser staff 9:39 a.m. EDT August 4, 2015, AP MIDEAST ISRAEL PALESTINIANS PHILISTINE METROPOLIS I ISR

• (Photo: Ariel Schalit, AP)40

1 Samuel 17:23, Gaza, in Gath

• (Photo: Ariel Schalit, AP)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/

news/world/2015/08/04/archaeo

logists-find-gate-goliaths-

hometown/31097891/

• Article follows after “THE END” slide

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1 Samuel 17:25, Archaeologists Discover Goliath Relatives?

• “After decades of studying what Philistines left behind, we have finally come face to face with the people themselves,” said Daniel Master, the American archaeologist who has led an excavation of the site since 1985. “With this discovery, we are unlocking the secrets of their origins.” Master and his team, under the Leon Levy Expedition associated with Harvard University’s Semitic Museum and other institutions, have been studying the remains of a Philistine settlement at the edge of the Israeli city Ashkelon for three decades. The cemetery—likely the first such discovery of its kind—was found in 2013 but kept under wraps until just recently. Goliath, slain in the Bible by David, Israel’s future king, is arguably the most famous Philistine. His people lived some three millennia ago as strangers in Jewish territory near what is now Tel Aviv. The Philistines were traders and seafarers who lived in the area between what

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1 Samuel 17:25, Archaeologists Discover Goliath Relatives?

• is now Tel Aviv. The Philistines were traders and seafarers who lived in the area between what is now Gaza and Tel Aviv from 1200 to about 600 BC. They spoke a language of Indo-European origin, did not practice circumcision as the Jews did, and ate pork and dog, according to the researchers. They were also said to have been experts in making wine and oil.

• -www.dw.com/en, 12 July 2016

• Arno Froese <info@midnightcall.com Commentary: The story recorded in Scripture is extremely important because, from the lineage of David, the Messiah was born. He had to be born from a free house, as 1 Samuel 17:25 documents, “And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel” (1 Samuel 17:25). David did slay Goliath, and he indeed became free, but not in reality physically, because he was severely persecuted by King Saul. 43

• An adult burial in the Ashkelon cemetery features a small juglet which most likely once held perfume. The juglet was placed near the nose of the deceased at the time of interment.

• PHOTOGRAPH BY TSAFRIR ABAYOV FOR THE LEON LEVY EXPEDITION TO ASHKELON

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/07/bible-

philistine-israelite-israel-ashkelon-discovery-burial-

archaeology-sea-peoples/

Assistant excavation director Adam Aja documents a burial in the first Philistine cemetery ever discovered at the site of Ashkelon in southern Israel. PHOTOGRAPH BY TSAFRIR ABAYOV FOR THE LEON LEVY EXPEDITION TO ASHKELON

A child burial is excavated at Ashkelon. The few children and infants buried in the cemetery were interred with a covering or "blanket" of broken pottery.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MELISSA AJA FOR THE LEON LEVY EXPEDITION TO ASHKELON

A group of Sea Peoples, most likely Philistines, is depicted in this detail from a relief at the mortuary temple of Ramses III in Luxor, Egypt. The pharaoh battled the mysterious coalition of tribes around 1180 B.C. PHOTOGRAPH BY GLASSHOUSE IMAGES, ALAMY

Future examination of the remains from the Ashkelon cemetery will include isotopic analysis of the teeth, which can reveal the geographic areas in which an individual lived.PHOTOGRPAH BY TSAFRIR ABAYOV FOR THE LEON LEVY EXPEDITION TO ASHKELON

Unearthing a Philistine cemetery in ancient Ashkelon, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYNt5KjGgS8

Judges 3:31, 10:6, 14:19, Philistines, Discovery of Philistine Cemetery May

Solve Biblical Mystery

• Human remains buried almost 3,000 years ago in southern Israel may help researchers finally solve the mystery of the Philistines' origins.

• An adult burial in the Ashkelon cemetery features a small juglet which most likely once held perfume. The juglet was placed near the nose of the deceased at the time of interment.

Palestine, Simon bar KokhbaUnderwater Hebrew Tablet Discovered

• “The slab dates to the second century A.D., a bloody time in Jewish history when a fiery leader named Simon bar Kokhba led a failed revolt against Roman rulers. The huge chunk of stone was found at an underwater site called Tel Dor, located about 18 miles (30 kilometers) south of the city of Haifa.The inscription dates from a tumultuous time in Jewish history. The second temple was destroyed in A.D. 70, and around A.D. 132, tensions simmering between the Roman rulers of the province and the Jewish inhabitants boiled over once again. At that point, the Jewish leader Simon bar Kokhba led a revolt against the Romans. During the four years of fighting, both sides sustained heavy casualties, and many Jews were ultimately sold into slavery or scattered. “Immediately after the Bar Kokhba revolt, the Romans decided to abolish the province of Judea and to obliterate any mention of its name. The province was united with Syria to form a single province called

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Palestine, Simon bar KokhbaUnderwater Hebrew Tablet Discovered

• Syria-Palestine,” Yasur-Landau said. “So what we have here is an inscription dated to just before Judea ceased to exist as a province under that name. Of the two inscriptions mentioning the name Judea, this is the latest, of course. Because such findings are so rare, it is unlikely that we will find many later inscriptions including the name Judea.” -www.livescience.com, 13 December 2016

• Arno Froese <info@midnightcall.com Commentary: “Jewish presence over all the land of Israel is being documented by archaeology and historic writings. However, the prophets did proclaim Israel’s total destruction, which came to pass after the Jewish leader, Simon bar Kokhba, was defeated by the Romans. Judea was obliterated and the territory was called Syria-Palestine. Bar Kokhba, the fierce fighter against the Roman occupation, in the end, caused the opposite: the eradication of the name Judah from the annals of Roman history. If Bar Kokhba and others before him would have accepted their defeat and served the victor’s government, lives and suffering could have been avoided. Yet prophecy had to be fulfilled, and thus Judea had to be obliterated.”

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Palestine, Simon bar KokhbaUnderwater Hebrew Tablet Discovered

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/underwater-hebrew-tablet-reveals-biblical-143000683.html

53The stone slab is on display at the University of Haifa's library. University of Haifa

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:32 David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

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1 Samuel 17:34, Dangerous Duty

• THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012• Explorations in Antiquity Center: The Good Shepherd• By Dr. David R. Reagan• What is meant by the Good Shepherd laying down his life for his sheep?• This question was posed to Dr. James Fleming, one of the most knowledgeable teachers of Biblical Archaeology, on our show Christ in Prophecy. Dr. Fleming

lived and taught in Israel for 37 years at Jerusalem University College and at the Hebrew University. His first claim to fame is that he discovered the ancient Eastern Gate buried beneath the current one. Dr. Fleming has walked or motorcycled about every square mile of Israel, and is so familiar with Israel past and present that Israeli tour guides come to him for training.

• He now operates the Explorations in Antiquity Center in LaGrange, Georgia, an interactive museum where people here in the U.S. can experience the life and times of Jesus Christ in the First Century. It's a fascinating place, and so in this series we're going to tour the facility to glean new insights into the Bible by understanding the manners, customs and times of the Bible.

•

• Bedouin Tent• Dr. Reagan: We are now at what looks to me like a Bedouin tent, but let's let the expert tell us what it is.• Dr. Fleming: This is goat hair of a brownish-black color. When it's dry there's a very large space in the weave allowing light to shine through. As soon as it gets

wet, the hair swells and it becomes waterproof. It works perfectly.• When you look up towards the sun in the day through the tent it looks like you're looking at the Milky Way. The word in the Old Testament for the night sky is

the "tent of the heavens." God has just unfurled the tent in heaven.• Dr. Reagan: The Bedouins still use tents like this in Israel today. You can see them on the way from Jerusalem to Jericho.• Dr. Fleming: Yes, though I'm afraid they're a lot more plastic nowadays, but there still are some traditional tents.• There's always in antiquity and even today among the Bedouin a divided section for a woman and children. Women would have been in one section, so Sarah

would have been standing off on one side listening to Abraham talk with his angelic guests in another section where Abraham would have been receiving others.

•Sheep Dogs

• Dr. Reagan: There is a little interesting item hanging on the tent which is fascinating. What in the world is it?• Dr. Reagan: Believe it or not, it's a dog collar. The predators were all around, like today it is the grey wolf in the north. Back in antiquity you had lions and

bears along with wolves. The dogs actually wore a spiked dog collar because its neck is the place the wolf is going to tear at on the dog.• Dr. Reagan: Why didn't the shepherds put those collars on the sheep?• Dr. Fleming: No, it was just on the guard dogs. The shepherds needed to have the guard dog for their hearing abilities as well. These dogs were huge watch

dogs. Modern day shepherds even cut the dog's ears today so that the wolves won't have the chance to bite onto something.• The main point is this — most people don't realize how dangerous it was to be a shepherd in biblical times. When Jesus said the shepherd lays down his life

for the sheep, He meant it. I'd imagine people living near grazing areas would hear every week of a shepherd being attacked. For example, David talked about killing a lion and a bear, so such attacks were pretty common then.

•In the third part of this series with archaeologist Dr. James Fleming at his Explorations in Antiquity Center, we'll glean some biblical insights by learning what life in the First Century was like when it came to housing sheep.

Explorations in Antiquity Center: The Good Shepherd, By Dr. David R. Reagan

• “Sheep Dogs, …“Dr. Reagan: There is a little interesting item hanging on the tent which is fascinating. What in the world is it?

• Dr. Reagan: Believe it or not, it's a dog collar. The predators were all around, like today it is the grey wolf in the north. Back in antiquity you had lions and bears along with wolves. The dogs actually wore a spiked dog collar because its neck is the place the wolf is going to tear at on the dog.

• Dr. Reagan: Why didn't the shepherds put those collars on the sheep?• Dr. Fleming: No, it was just on the guard dogs. The shepherds needed

to have the guard dog for their hearing abilities as well. These dogs were huge watch dogs. Modern day shepherds even cut the dog's ears today so that the wolves won't have the chance to bite onto something.

• The main point is this — most people don't realize how dangerous it was to be a shepherd in biblical times. When Jesus said the shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, He meant it. I'd imagine people living near grazing areas would hear every week of a shepherd being attacked. For example, David talked about killing a lion and a bear, so such attacks were pretty common then…”

Let’s read 1 Samuel 17:38-51

1 Samuel 17:40, 5 Stones?

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:40 He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.

• Why 5?

• NAU 2 Samuel 21:22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

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1 Samuel 17:34, Dangerous Duty• 1 Samuel 17:34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant was

tending his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock,

• A Shepherd’s Spiked Dog Collar• Dr. Reagan: ”Why didn't the shepherds put those collars on

the sheep?• Dr. Fleming: No, it was just on the guard dogs. The shepherds

needed to have the guard dog for their hearing abilities as well. These dogs were huge watch dogs. Modern day shepherds even cut the dog's ears today so that the wolves won't have the chance to bite onto something.

• The main point is this — most people don't realize how dangerous it was to be a shepherd in biblical times. When Jesus said the shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, He meant it. I'd imagine people living near grazing areas would hear every week of a shepherd being attacked. For example, David talked about killing a lion and a bear, so such attacks were pretty common then.”

1 Samuel 17:49“took from it a stone”

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:49 And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.

• Goliath was already coming at him and David had not loaded his weapon yet.

• That is truly trusting in the Lord.

• A “sling” not a sling shot61

1 Samuel 17:51, 2X’s “and killed him”When Did Goliath Die?

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:49 …the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground. 50 Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David's hand. 51 Then David …took his sword… and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

• “saw”= visible confirmation of his death

1 Sam 17:51“cut off his head”

Let’s read 1 Samuel 17:52-58

Israeli archaeologists pieced together the inscription from pottery shards found at a 2012 excavation in the

Valley of Elah in central Israel.

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• JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s antiquities authority says archaeologists have discovered a rare 3,000-year-old inscription of a name mentioned in the Bible. The name “Eshbaal Ben Beda” appears on a large ceramic jar. Eshbaal of the Bible was a son of King Saul. Archaeologists Yosef Garfinkel and Saar Ganor say the jar belonged to a different Eshbaal, likely the owner of an agricultural estate. They said Tuesday it is the first time the name was discovered in an ancient inscription. It is one of only four inscriptions discovered from the biblical 10th century B.C. Kingdom of Judah, when King David is said to have reigned. Archaeologists pieced together the inscription from pottery shards found at a 2012 excavation in the Valley of Elah in central Israel. Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.

• https://stream.org/israeli-archaeologists-find-inscription-name-bible/66

• Have a blessed Thanksgiving day. Remember to give thanks to the Lord God Almighty, It's not just about turkey and pumpkin pie.

THE END

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BIBLE IN FIVEPastor Dave Kooyers

Valley Bible Fellowship

Box 433

Boonville CA 95415http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers

www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org

(707) 895-2325

God bless you as you examine His Word,

Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ"(Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge.

Matthew 10:8 …Freely you received, freely give.

1 Samuel 17:4-5Question: "How tall was Goliath?”

• gotquestions.org , “Answer: Goliath is a biblical character found in 1 Samuel 17. The Bible says he was a large man who fought as a champion for the Philistine army against God’s people, the Israelites.

• How tall was Goliath in reality? Normally, we equate him with a giant, as most Bible translations state that he was over nine feet tall (1 Samuel 17:4, NIV). The Masoretic Text, the Hebrew text that has long been accepted by the Jewish people, states that Goliath’s height was “six cubits and one span.” Taking a cubit to be approximately eighteen inches and a span to equal six, this figures to a height of approximately nine feet, six inches. It seems Goliath may have had some Anakim blood in him (see Deuteronomy 9:2).

• There is, however, a variation found in some ancient texts on the matter of Goliath’s height. A Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, records Goliath’s height as four cubits and one span. Current measurements translate this to about six feet, six inches. While this would shorten Goliath some, he still would have been quite a bit taller than the average man’s height at that time—about five and a half feet. There are other sources that corroborate the shorter measurement, including one Hebrew text among the Dead Sea Scrolls and the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus. The NET Bible goes with the shorter height, saying that Goliath was “close to seven feet tall” (1 Samuel 17:4).

• When it comes to the deviation between these measurements, it is important to note a couple things. First, the Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. The difference may be due to how the measurements were translated into Greek for the Septuagint. Second, the measurement of a cubit is not precise, since a cubit was based on the distance from a person’s elbow to the tip of a finger. Thus, the length of a cubit would vary somewhat, according to the one doing the measuring and the length of his arm.

• Regardless of Goliath’s precise height, we know from God’s Word that he was a formidable opponent. He was not only tall—at least a foot taller than David, and possibly several feet taller—he was also strong. His bronze armor alone weighed 125 pounds (1 Samuel 17:5), and he carried a giant-sized spear (verse 7). There was a reason that Goliath was the “champion” of the Philistines (verse 4). In the end, however, a young man named David, armed with only a simple sling, a few rocks, and faith, defeated this enemy of Israel. David proved stronger than Goliath because he had the almighty God on his side.”

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Where Would You Choose To Live?From Gary Bates, CEO, Creation Ministries International (US)

• Two of my colleagues were speaking on an Australian Christian radio station a few years ago. The station was taking calls off-air, and a young geology student had been put through to one of them.1 She told my colleague that Christianity was “not much good”, and that she was drawn to religions like Buddhism or Islam. My colleague asked her what country in the world she would choose in which to raise her future children. “Australia, of course”, she replied. He shot back, “If it couldn’t be Australia, what would be your next choice?” “Umm … America, I guess … or maybe England.” “And if that isn’t possible?”“Well,” she replied, hesitating, “probably Germany … or Switzerland … . ”After she had been prodded to consider several more, my colleague pointed out that she did not cite any predominantly Buddhist or Islamic nations. Her ‘wish list’ was made up entirely of countries that most would define as having a Christian foundation (despite their rapid decline into secularism). My colleague wrote: “Of course, our young lady’s choices were neither unusual nor surprising. Not even the most vehement Christian-bashers would prefer to bring their children up in Iran, Burma, Saudi Arabia or the like. But rarely would any of them make a connection between their choice of countries and the Bible.”2 Well, that was a few years ago. Most Western nations can no longer be defined as Christian anymore….

1 Samuel 17:54, Jerusalem

• NAU 1 Samuel 17:54 Then David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.

• Only use of “Jerusalem” in 1 Samuel, but 30 NAU uses in 2 Samuel. Clearly our geographical focus will be zooming in.

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• (NEWSER) – An archaeological dig now in its 20th year has uncovered the entrance gate to Gath, the ancient Biblical city of the Philistines and onetime home of the giant Goliath. Before the king of Damascus destroyed it in 830 BCE, Gath was the largest city in the land for hundreds of years, reports the Jerusalem Post. The Bible refers to the massive city gate itself, in the story of David's escape from King Saul to the king of Gath. In addition to the city gate, scientists have also unearthed an "impressive fortification wall," several buildings that include a temple and iron production facility, and what the Post calls the earliest "decipherable" Philistine inscription ever found—which contains two names similar to "Goliath."

• "After finding a huge fortification, it’s clearly the most important city of the 10th and ninth centuries," says the archaeologist in charge of the dig, per i24. The long-term dig is part of the Ackerman Family Bar-Ilan University Expedition to Gath, a look at the archaeology and history of one of the largest "tells" (aka ancient ruin mounds) in Israel. The area in central Israel, in the Tel Zafit National Park in the Judean Foothills, has been inhabited almost continuously since the 5th millennium BCE, the researchers note in a press release. (Also recently discovered in Israel? A mask unlike any other.)

• This article originally appeared on Newser:

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Archaeologists Uncover Ancient City of Gath, Home to Goliath the Giant

• Veronica Neffinger | Editor, ChristianHeadlines.com | Friday, August 07, 2015, ChristianHeadlines.com

• Archaeologists in a Palestinian city in Israel have uncovered the ruins of a city that was once home to Goliath the giant. The archaeologists have unearthed a huge gate and a fortified wall in the modern-day city of Tell es-Safi. They believe the gate and wall to be part of "the lower city of Gath,” a Philistine metropolis of the ancient world, according to Christian Today.

• The Philistine city is described in the Bible as being the home of Goliath, the giant who threatened the nation of Israel and was felled by a stone from future king of Israel, David’s sling. Professor Aren Maeir, an archaeologist from Bar-Ilan University in Israel who is the leader of the excavation, stated that "We still have to do a lot of cleaning, defining, digging and measuring to do, but it appears that there are really good chances we have truly landed on quite an astounding find.” The archaeologists uncovered the city of Gath’s wall and massive gate while they were digging trenches to unearth the city’s fortifications.

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1 Samuel 17:34, Dangerous Duty

• THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2012• Explorations in Antiquity Center: The Good Shepherd• By Dr. David R. Reagan• What is meant by the Good Shepherd laying down his life for his sheep?• This question was posed to Dr. James Fleming, one of the most knowledgeable teachers of Biblical Archaeology, on our show Christ in Prophecy. Dr. Fleming lived

and taught in Israel for 37 years at Jerusalem University College and at the Hebrew University. His first claim to fame is that he discovered the ancient Eastern Gate buried beneath the current one. Dr. Fleming has walked or motorcycled about every square mile of Israel, and is so familiar with Israel past and present that Israeli tour guides come to him for training.

• He now operates the Explorations in Antiquity Center in LaGrange, Georgia, an interactive museum where people here in the U.S. can experience the life and times of Jesus Christ in the First Century. It's a fascinating place, and so in this series we're going to tour the facility to glean new insights into the Bible by understanding the manners, customs and times of the Bible.

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• Bedouin Tent• Dr. Reagan: We are now at what looks to me like a Bedouin tent, but let's let the expert tell us what it is.• Dr. Fleming: This is goat hair of a brownish-black color. When it's dry there's a very large space in the weave allowing light to shine through. As soon as it gets wet,

the hair swells and it becomes waterproof. It works perfectly.• When you look up towards the sun in the day through the tent it looks like you're looking at the Milky Way. The word in the Old Testament for the night sky is the

"tent of the heavens." God has just unfurled the tent in heaven.• Dr. Reagan: The Bedouins still use tents like this in Israel today. You can see them on the way from Jerusalem to Jericho.• Dr. Fleming: Yes, though I'm afraid they're a lot more plastic nowadays, but there still are some traditional tents.• There's always in antiquity and even today among the Bedouin a divided section for a woman and children. Women would have been in one section, so Sarah

would have been standing off on one side listening to Abraham talk with his angelic guests in another section where Abraham would have been receiving others.•

Sheep Dogs• Dr. Reagan: There is a little interesting item hanging on the tent which is fascinating. What in the world is it?• Dr. Reagan: Believe it or not, it's a dog collar. The predators were all around, like today it is the grey wolf in the north. Back in antiquity you had lions and bears

along with wolves. The dogs actually wore a spiked dog collar because its neck is the place the wolf is going to tear at on the dog.• Dr. Reagan: Why didn't the shepherds put those collars on the sheep?• Dr. Fleming: No, it was just on the guard dogs. The shepherds needed to have the guard dog for their hearing abilities as well. These dogs were huge watch dogs.

Modern day shepherds even cut the dog's ears today so that the wolves won't have the chance to bite onto something.• The main point is this — most people don't realize how dangerous it was to be a shepherd in biblical times. When Jesus said the shepherd lays down his life for the

sheep, He meant it. I'd imagine people living near grazing areas would hear every week of a shepherd being attacked. For example, David talked about killing a lion and a bear, so such attacks were pretty common then.

•In the third part of this series with archaeologist Dr. James Fleming at his Explorations in Antiquity Center, we'll glean some biblical insights by learning what life in the First Century was like when it came to housing sheep.

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