Did you know there are two different heights for Goliath? Depending on which version of the story you read, Goliath could either be extremely tall (over nine feet) or fairly tall (under seven feet). Obviously, the ancient Hebrews did not use feet and inches but, instead, used cubits and spans. Hebraically speaking, was Goliath either "six cubits and a span" or "four cubits and a span"?
The version of the Bible which says "six cubits and a span" was scribed by a sect of Jews, called the Masoretes, between 600 and 1000 A.D. But, did you know there are as many as three ancient sources, pre-dating the Masoretic manuscripts, which describe Goliath as "four cubits and a span"? These three older sources are: Josephus, the Septuagint, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Regarding Josephus, he was a Jewish historian who witnessed the Romans destroying Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Regarding the Septuagint, this was the 132 B.C. Greek version of the Hebrew Old Testament. Regarding the Dead Sea Scrolls, these were scribed by the Essenic Jews between 150 B.C. and 70 A.D.
All three older sources agree Goliath's height was “four cubits and a span", as opposed to "six cubits and a span". Which of the two measurements do you think is correct? How do you account for the discrepancy?
The version of the Bible which says "six cubits and a span" was scribed by a sect of Jews, called the Masoretes, between 600 and 1000 A.D. But, did you know there are as many as three ancient sources, pre-dating the Masoretic manuscripts, which describe Goliath as "four cubits and a span"? These three older sources are: Josephus, the Septuagint, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Regarding Josephus, he was a Jewish historian who witnessed the Romans destroying Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Regarding the Septuagint, this was the 132 B.C. Greek version of the Hebrew Old Testament. Regarding the Dead Sea Scrolls, these were scribed by the Essenic Jews between 150 B.C. and 70 A.D.
All three older sources agree Goliath's height was “four cubits and a span", as opposed to "six cubits and a span". Which of the two measurements do you think is correct? How do you account for the discrepancy?
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