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©2008-2009 *ahermin
:iconahermin:

Artist's Comments

Most people will be familiar with the Old Testament story related in 1 Samuel, chapter 17, in which a shepherd boy, David, armed only with a slingshot, slays the giant, Goliath.

The background to this story is that Goliath of Gath, a hero of the Philistine army, standing some six cubits1 and a span in height (299cm; nearly ten feet), challenged the Israelite army to provide a man to fight him. Despite Goliath's vast size and the fact his armour consisted of a bronze helmet, bronze mail armour weighing 5000 shekels (or 80kg - compare this with 14th-Century full-body plate armour which weighed up to 36kg) and a shield, David was able to kill him with single stone directed at his forehead.

The David of this story was a shepherd and skilful minstrel and, indeed, by the time of this event he was a musician at the court of Saul, the first king of Israel. In his book The Bible as History, Hodder and Stoughton (1956), Werner Keller says:
"For his poetry alone a modern David would have been a Nobel Prize winner. Yet like the mediaeval troubadours he was poet, composer and musician rolled into one.
Following this triumph, Saul took David on as commander of his troops."

David was the son of Jesse, a farmer of Bethlehem, and eventually became the first king to rule a united Israel in Palestine. According to the genealogies given in Matthew and Luke, David was an ancestor of Christ and so is of vast significance theologically. Christ was the son of Joseph the carpenter and Mary, and Joseph was a descendant of David. But theologically, Christ is considered to be the son of God himself, thus making Joseph Christ's foster father.

The question is, were David and Goliath real people, or is this story merely a myth written centuries after it was supposed to have occurred, as some scholars claim? Is there any evidence that this event could really have occurred?

Comments


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:iconangeleece1626:
I love the artist comments that you leave. Great insight! What is that thing in the pic though? Maybe I am having a brain fart? An ant and...? Great piece though!

--
Just Let it Be and Come What May
~Elizabeth
:iconflyingsister:
Looks like a jellyfish to me. Really great shot! <3

--
Bereshit bara Elohim et hashamayim ve'et ha'arets.
:iconrykardo:
Nice one...

--
Landscapes | Waterscapes Photographer

Prints: TheUntappedSource or RedBubble
:iconvillanelle:
Beautiful shot, and thankyou for the well-thought-out comment :)
:iconhailfyrepaws:
I just can't express how much I love your beach scenes. And the extensive commenting, too.

--
I lost my innocence today.
I could feel him in my bones, my bones, my bones, my bones,
My blood, my blood my blood my blood.
:iconhechibonita:
beautiful...

--
-*::Hechibonita::*-
visit my devAccount :D
:iconchavesphotography:
THe story of David and Goliath may be a myth, or may be a kind of legend based in some true facts -- in this, people generally add and increase some points (as the size of the giant Goliath and the humilty of David). I think there is more of poetry in that story than "real facts". Poetry that want to help and inspire people, at least. THe book of Werner Keller is intersting, but I prefer Werner H. Schmidt which links history to antropology and expressions of faith in stead of face some Biblical stories as "true history" -- not because they didn't happend, they could've happened, but not exactely as they are told -- but some meaning and some message there shall be there :)

--
chaves
"The end is where we start from" —T. S. Eliot
:icondarkathka:
beatiful photo with magic light as always, thank U for sharing this with as :) oh and I love this bowing ant

Details

March 2, 2008
4.1 MB
74.9 KB
900×600

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SONY
DSC-R1
10/400 second
F/13.0
37 mm
160
Feb 26, 2008, 6:19:13 PM

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