1 Samuel 17:4

KJV1611 – Modern English

A champion came out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֵּצֵ֤א אִֽישׁ־הַבֵּנַ֙יִם֙ מִמַּחֲנ֣וֹת פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים גָּלְיָ֥ת שְׁמ֖וֹ מִגַּ֑ת גָּבְה֕וֹ שֵׁ֥שׁ אַמּ֖וֹת וָזָֽרֶת׃

Transliteration

And there yāṣāʾ ʾîš-the-bênayim from maḥănôt Pəlištîm, Golyāt [was] his šēm, from Gat; his gābōah [was] six ʾammôt and a zeret.

Grammar Details

• *yāṣāʾ*: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with waw-consecutive - came out/went forth
• *ʾîš*-the-*bênayim*: construct phrase with definite article - champion/man of the between (literally: man of the midst)
• *maḥănôt*: noun, feminine plural construct - camps of
• *Pəlištîm*: proper noun, masculine plural - Philistines
• *Golyāt*: proper noun - Goliath
• *šēm*: noun, masculine singular - name
• *Gat*: proper noun - Gath
• *gābōah*: noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his height
• *ʾammôt*: noun, feminine plural - cubits
• *zeret*: noun, masculine singular - span

Word Meanings

• *ʾîš*-the-*bênayim*: champion/man of the midst/man between the two armies
• *maḥănôt*: camps/armies
• *gābōah*: height/stature/tallness
• *ʾammôt*: cubits (approximately 18 inches each)
• *zeret*: span (approximately 9 inches)

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Then a champion emerged from the Philistine camp, named Goliath, from Gath. His height was six cubits and a span.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And there went out{H3318} a champion{H376} out of the camp{H4264} of the Philistines,{H6430} named{H8034} Goliath,{H1555} of Gath,{H1661} whose height{H1363} was six{H8337} cubits{H520} and a span.{H2239}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And there went out{H3318}{(H8799)} a champion{H376}{H1143} out of the camp{H4264} of the Philistines{H6430}, named{H8034} Goliath{H1555}, of Gath{H1661}, whose height{H1363} was six{H8337} cubits{H520} and a span{H2239}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Then stepte there forth from amoge the Philistynes a stoute bolde man, named Goliath of Gath, sixe cubites and an hande breth hye,

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then came a man betweene them both out of the tents of the Philistims, named Goliath of Gath: his height was sixe cubites and an hande breadth,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And there came a man betweene the both, out of the tentes of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath: sixe cubites and a handbreadth long:

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height [was] six cubits and a span.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  There went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And there goeth out a man of the duellists from the camps of the Philistines, Goliath `is' his name, from Gath; his height `is' six cubits and a span,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And a fighter came out from the tents of the Philistines, named Goliath of Gath; he was more than six cubits tall.

• World English Bible (2000)

  There went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Then a champion came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall.

Referenced Verses

• Josh 11:22 : 22 There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, some remained.
• 1 Sam 17:23 : 23 As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath named Goliath came from the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before, and David heard them.
• 1 Sam 21:9-9 : 9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if you will take that, take it, for there is no other but that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it to me. 10 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
• 1 Sam 27:4 : 4 And it was told to Saul that David had fled to Gath, and he sought no more for him.
• 2 Sam 21:16-22 : 16 And Ishbibenob, who was of the descendants of the giant—the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass, and he was girded with a new sword—thought to kill David. 17 But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, came to his aid and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, saying, You shall no more go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel. 18 After this, there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the descendants of the giant. 19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan, the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear's staff was like a weaver's beam. 20 And there was another battle in Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had on each hand six fingers, and on each foot six toes, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him. 22 These four were born to the giant in Gath and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
• 1 Chr 11:23 : 23 And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high. In the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam, and he went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.
• 1 Chr 20:4-8 : 4 After this, war arose at Gezer with the Philistines, at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, who was of the children of the giant; and they were subdued. 5 There was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan, the son of Jair, slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear shaft was like a weaver's beam. 6 Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six on each hand and six on each foot; and he also was the son of the giant. 7 When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, slew him. 8 These were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
• Amos 2:9 : 9 Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath.
• Deut 3:11 : 11 For only Og, king of Bashan, remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, according to the cubit of a man.