Tuesday, July 20, 2010

David, Goliath and Philistines..

I had not read any account made by Arabs, Palestinians or Muslims on this famous story, which was told in different manner in the Holy Quran.. Despite the great shade it does on the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the whole world only listens to the Jewish interpretations; which has lots of appeal to the Christian culture..
So; it almost means that Goliath is a Philistine-giant, who was defeated by David.. He represented the evil-doing that has to be slaughtered and eliminated..!!
How this is far from today's cultural realities and political mind-set..?
I think it is a call for The Truth, rather than supporting any particular claim..!!

No wonder, no one listens to the Arabic story, not only because it is not there, but because Arabs are too emotional to speak scientific or logic..!!


The account of the battle between David and Goliath is given in 1 Samuel, chapter 17. Saul and the Israelites are facing the Philistines at the Valley of Elah. Twice a day for forty days, Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, comes out between the lines and challenges the Israelites to send out a champion of their own to decide the outcome in single combat. However, Saul and all the other Israelites are afraid of him. By chance, David is present, having brought food for his elder brothers. Told that Saul has promised to reward any man who defeats Goliath, David accepts the challenge. Saul reluctantly agrees and offers his armor, which David declines, taking only his sling and five stones chosen in a brook.

David and Goliath confront each other, Goliath with his armor and shield, David with his staff and sling. “The Philistine cursed David by his gods,” but David replies: “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that God saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is God’s, and he will give you into our hand.”
David strikes Goliath in the head with a stone from his sling, the Philistine falls on his face to the ground, David takes Goliath’s sword and cuts off his head. The Philistines flee and are pursued by the Israelites “as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron.” David puts the armor of Goliath in his own tent and takes the head to Jerusalem, and Saul sends Abner to bring David to him. The king asks whose son he is, and David answers, ‘I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.’ ”
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath

4 comments:

  1. BBC on 27 July 2010
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-10777040
    Police arrived at dawn and destroyed 30 to 40 makeshift homes. Around 300 Bedouins living in Israel's Negev desert have been made homeless after police raided their village and razed their homes. Bedouin who serve in Israel's army
    Land struggle of Israel's Bedouin. Israeli activists said 1,500 police arrived in Al-Arakib village at dawn. They destroyed 30 to 40 makeshift homes and uprooted hundreds of olive trees belonging to the villagers, they said. Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said the homes had been "illegally built" and were destroyed in line with a court ruling issued 11 years ago.
    "Several hundred people were taken back to the Rahat area where they originally came from," he told the AFP news agency, referring to a nearby Bedouin town in Israel's arid south. More than 150,000 Bedouin live in Israel, mostly in and around the Negev desert. Around half live in villages that are not recognised by the state, and have no access to municipal services like water and electricity. Many live in extreme poverty.
    Shared by Maliha Raza Khan

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  2. ‎"Its so frustrated that it's taking so long to halt it," Every day a “N” number of people are made homeless in palestine.. “Homeless in Homeland” portrays the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a black and white struggle between demonic Israelis and victimized Palestinians.
    Do you know anything that in all its innocence is more humiliati...ng than the funny pages of a Sunday newspaper in America...
    Knight Rider

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  3. “Demonic Israelis vs. Victimized Palestinians”.. This is the core issue, which make the whole thing silly, illogic and confusing as well.. For Arabs and Muslims, it is emotional, sensational and metaphysical ownership of the land.. No Documents, no Title Deeds, even no accredited scientific researches about the whole conflict.. For Israelis, It is documented purchases, registration of no-man’s Land, and Biblical researches to connect topography to verses of Old Testimony.. They (and many of the world) read it: “Lawful Israelis vs. Hysterical Palestinians..” Muse Dayan once said: Arabs do not read.. and if they do, they don’t understand..!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Sad - considering that some of ther worlds greatest scientific discoveries and achievements once came from Arab minds..."
    Maliha Raza Khan

    ReplyDelete