I imagine in the valley Philistine and Israelite forces are engaged in battle. Samuel and David are on higher ground, the two scenes divided by the tree. One side holy and pure and the other side dark and bloody. Just how I see it.
A reasonable explanation, which is more than I had. So, then, a contrast....
“I imagine in the valley Philistine and Israelite forces are engaged in battle. Samuel and David are on higher ground, the two scenes divided by the tree. One side holy and pure and the other side dark and bloody. Just how I see it.”
I visited the valley of Elah in October 2019, and it’s actually the opposite. Israel encamped on the northwestern hill and the Philistines on the southeastern. In the middle was a valley with a stream. We walked along the stream bed (it was dry at this time of the year) and picked up some round stones, just like David.
David came from the east (Bethlehem) and visited the Israeli camp. They’ve found archeological remains of an encampment on the hill. He heard about Goliath, heard him speak, and went down and fought him.
Everyone on both sides could see the battle on the valley floor. Thus the Philistines fled when Goliath fell, and Israel attacked.
This anticipates a future post, I’m sure.