[Theoria]

'Aren Maeir of Bar-Ilan University, who leads a dig at the ruins of the nearby Philistine city of Gath.'

It was skipped over in the article. But, for those who don't know, Gath was the hometown of Goliath.

[count-your-change]

Wasn’t Gath in the novel, The Rapes of Gath?

[mikeus_maximus]

Suggested reading: The Bible Among the Myths, by John Oswalt. It's an exposition of the elements of mythology in the people surrounding the Hebrews and in fact all world religions. Folks who assume the religion of the Bible is mythical and evolved from other mythical religions are uninformed or just dishonest. It's not just a little different in minor detials; it's diametrically and drammatically different at its core from every other religion on earth.

Which begs the question: Why would an insignificant group of people (in their own estimation), surrounded by brilliant, wealthy, and powerful people all around them, eschew idolatry and have such a radically different view of reality and concept of the Divine in the first place?

[fish hawk]

Something I learned that the average Bible person missed: 1 Sam. 17:40 when David went out to meet Goliath note, he picked up FIVE stones. Why??

Now go to 2 Sam. 21: 16-22. Goliath had four sons, vs.16, 18,19, 21-22. David or one of his many Mighty Men killed all of them.

But I'm a romantic and think that when David picked up those five stones, he meant to kill them all not just Goliath.