The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 315

CHAPTER XVII. was the gai or ravine." In the .A.. V. no exactness of rendering is ever attempted, and GOLIATH'S DEFIANCE OF ISRAEL (vers. both the ernelc, the broad strath or valley 1-11). Ver. 1.-The Philistines gathered of Elah, with gently sloping sides, e.nd the together their armies. As the object of the gai, the narrow, precipitous ravine, are equally historian is not to give us an account of the rendered vall!!'IJ. Really the gai is most Philistine wars, but only to record the man- remarkable, and fully explains how the two ner of David's 1ipening for the kingly office, hosts could remain in face of one another so nothing is said as to tlie space of time which long without fighting ; for Conder proceeds, had elapsed hetTI·een Saul's victory at llfich- "Two points require to be made clear as to mash aud the present iu'<'nsion. "'e are, the episode of David's battle with Goliath: howr'<'er, briefly told that "there was sore one was the meaning of the expression gai or war against the Philistines all the days of ravine; the other was the source whence Saul" (eh. xiv. 52), and apparently this David took the 'smooth stones.' .A. visit inroad took place very many years after to the spot explains both. In the middle of Saul's establishment upon the throne. The the broad, open valley we found o. deep trench Philistine camp was at Ephes-de.mmi.m, called with vertical sides, impassable except at Pas-dammim in 1 Chron. xi. 13. The best certain places-a valley in a valley, and e. explanation of the word 1-(ives as its meaning natural barrier between the two hosts. The the boundary of blood, so called from the sides and bed of this trench are strewn with ..continual fighting which took place there rounded and waterworn pebbles, which would upon the bordens. Shochoh, spelt more have been well fitted for David's sling. Here, correctly Socoh in Josh. xv. 35, was one of then, we may picture to ourselves the two fourteen villages e11umerated there as lying hosts, covering the low, rocky hills opposite in the Shephelah, described by Conder to each other, and half hidden among the (' Tent Work,' ii. 156) as a region of "low lentisk hushes. Between them was the rich . hills of limestone, forming a distinct district expanse of 1ipening barley, and the red between the plain and the watershed moun- banks of the to1Tcnt, with its white, shingly tains." In this distI;ct Socoh lay north-east bed. Behind all were the distnnt blue hill- of Eleutheropolis (Beth-jibrin), midway be- walls of Judah, whence Saul had just come lll'een it and Beth-shemesh, from each of down. The mail-clad champion advanced which places it was distant about eight or from the west through the low corn, with hie nine miles. It is now called Shuweikeh. mighty lance perhaps tufted with feathers, For Azekah see Josh. x. 10. his brazen helmet shining in the sun. From Vers, 2, 3.-The valley of Elah. I. e. of the cast a ruduy hoy in his white shirt and the terehinth tre~. A valley between them. sandals, armed with a goat's-ho.ir sling, came Conder (' Tent Work,' ii. 160) describes the down to the brook, and, according to the t1pot from personal observation thus: "Saul, poetic fancy of the Rabbis, the pebbles coming down by the highway from the land were given voices, and cried, 'By us she.It of He11.iuniin, eucamped by the valley on one thou overcome the giant.' The champion .of the low hills ; and between the two' lioits fell from an unseen cause, and the wild CH. X\'ll. 1--19,J TllJi; FIRST BOOK OF SA:\IUEL. 317