How tall was the giant Goliath in the story of David and Goliath?
Most English translations of the Bible (e.g. NASB, NIV, KJV, NRSV), following the Masoretic Text of the Old Testament,1 say that Goliath was six cubits and a span tall.
"And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span".
More Info:
bibleq.net
What are your thoughts on this subject?
77 Comments

Marilyn Miranda
Nice bit of trivia, but would have been better if followed by height in today's standards!
77
Mar 30, 2016 4:34PM

William Laughlin
I know I will certainly hear from those of you who accept the Bible as sacrosanct, but much like Wikipedia, the Bible is a dubious source of "historical" information.
Comprised of many books, some edited out to suit the dogma of the Catholic Church, written by dozens of people, based on hearsay, over a period of several centuries, it can hardly be considered a reliable source without corroborating evidence.
Scholars, to this day, are undecided and uncertain of the "facts" presented in the Bible. Many assert that Goliath was 4 cubits and a span, making him 6'5", which is tall even by today's standards.
To say he was 9'5" would make him a total freak. In modern history, Guinness Book of World Records lists the verifiably tallest man at 8'11" and he actually was a freak of nature.
As with all fiction, the question should have referred to the book this story originates from.
Q: How tall was the giant Goliath in the story of David and Goliath, as told in the Bible?
19
Oct 1, 2018 8:45PM

john m abraham
Steve, your comment is great, but the explanation sucks. You should have included this stuff in your explanation. Period.
17
Jan 27, 2018 9:18PM

Jacky Pierce Friedman
williamrlaughlin,
I agree with you about the bible. It's stories written by people through what they HEARD over time. And then edited by the churches.
And like you I'll probably get alot of flack over this. But oh well.
9
Nov 19, 2018 9:10PM

Karen Mulhollem
But David was only a short little guy and he brought him down!
8
Nov 19, 2018 6:53PM

Scott
6 cubits and a span is about 9’ 6” tall.
5
Apr 1, 2022 1:43AM

papacorndog
Char, don't bring an easy target to a slingshot fight.
0
Apr 7, 2025 9:57PM

Joyce Kiselbach
Stephen Forest, yes they do!
0
Nov 5, 2023 8:58PM

Nick Hand
Fascinating.
Now what's a cubit?
0
Nov 5, 2023 3:28AM

Nikki Proctor
How do you translate cubits and span in todays measurements? would have been nice for that info to be included
2
Nov 3, 2023 4:03AM

bdkerr
This is two question in one..."What is a cubit"...
0
Aug 8, 2023 6:24PM

Patty K
And how long is a cubit and a span in the first place?
1
Jul 12, 2023 9:38AM

JRW
Stephen Forest, length from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. If my memory is correct. A span from thumb tip to little finger tip, ie a hand span.
0
Jun 10, 2023 9:53PM

Stephen Forest
Do they actually know how long a cubit and a span were?
2
May 16, 2023 9:59PM

Richard Rubright
Most manuscript say 4 cubits and a span. Why would you base your answer on the English translation of just 1.
0
Apr 3, 2023 10:58PM

✨KRISTA✨
Joe Mangan , good 😊 one! 🤗💞
0
Mar 29, 2023 6:15AM

✨KRISTA✨
RCKCreatEnt, totally 💯 agree!
1
Mar 29, 2023 6:13AM

✨KRISTA✨
So, what does that translate to? (Feet and inches for me). 🤗💞
1
Mar 29, 2023 6:09AM

elizawheeler
This, of course, is a matter of faith not fact. Also, if you read some of the Jewish writings they suggest that Goliath was a nephilim (a cross between an angel and a human).
1
Mar 7, 2023 7:55PM

Char
jonbroberts, the Bible was written by men who welded power like swords . They made it say anything they darn well wanted. Remember the pen is mightier than the sword but doesn't mean it is truth. They were just as bad back then as today and all your chatter will not matter in making me believe because we are dealing with man not the Creator
0
Feb 2, 2023 9:47PM

Char
Jacky Pierce Friedman, I totally agree with you
0
Feb 2, 2023 9:43PM
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