And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
Goliath stood up and shouted to the Israelite army, saying to them, 'Why have you come out to line up for battle? I am a Philistine, and you serve Saul, don't you? Choose one man from among you and let him come down here to fight me.'
Goliath is challenging the entire Israelite army to send just one man to fight him in single combat instead of having a full battle.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Philistines, two neighboring peoples who frequently fought over territory and dominance. Single combat between champions was a common ancient practice to determine the outcome of battles without massive casualties. Goliath, standing over nine feet tall, was the Philistine champion intimidating Israel's army.
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