How Tall Was Goliath?
Quick Summary
Goliath’s height in the Bible is recorded as “six cubits and a span” in the Masoretic Text of 1 Samuel 17:4, which equals roughly nine and a half feet. The older Dead Sea Scrolls and the Septuagint, however, record his height as “four cubits and a span,” about six feet seven inches. These two textual traditions give us a range for understanding Goliath’s stature in the ancient world.
Introduction
The story of David and Goliath has captured imaginations for centuries. At the center of the story stands Goliath, the Philistine warrior whose size alone strikes fear into Israel’s army. But how tall was he really? Our English Bibles often present a towering giant, yet the ancient manuscripts give us more than one possible measurement.
Understanding Goliath’s height helps us read the story with clarity. It also allows us to appreciate the world of ancient warfare, the role of giants in biblical storytelling, and how textual evidence shapes our reading of Scripture.
What Does the Bible Say?
The Bible gives two different ancient measurements for Goliath’s height depending on the manuscript tradition.
Masoretic Text: Six Cubits and a Span (1 Samuel 17:4)
The traditional Hebrew text describes Goliath as six cubits and a span. A cubit was the length from elbow to fingertip, usually estimated at about eighteen inches. A span was roughly half a cubit.
Using these measurements, Goliath’s height comes to about nine feet nine inches.
This is the height that appears in most English translations.
Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint: Four Cubits and a Span
Some of our oldest Hebrew manuscripts, including the Dead Sea Scroll fragment 4QSam‚a, and the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint), record a different height:
Four cubits and a span.
Using the same measurements, this equals about six feet seven inches.
In the ancient world, this was still unusually tall—far above the typical height of soldiers—but not superhuman.
Why Are There Two Different Heights?
Differences in ancient manuscripts are not unusual. The variation may come from:
A later scribe adjusting the height upward to emphasize Goliath’s fearsome presence
A scribal copying error involving numbers, which were written differently than words
Different regional textual traditions in Israel’s history
What matters for understanding the story is that both heights describe a formidable warrior.
A man six foot seven would tower over ancient soldiers. A nine-foot man would be unprecedented. Either way, the narrative impact remains: Goliath is intimidating.
Understanding the Cubit
Because the cubit varied slightly across cultures, modern estimates also vary slightly.
Most biblical measurements use the common cubit, around eighteen inches. Using this:
Six cubits and a span = about 9–10 feet
Four cubits and a span = about 6.5–7 feet
The point is that the ancient reader would have recognized Goliath as significantly taller and stronger than the average soldier.
How Tall Were People in the Ancient World?
Skeletal remains from ancient Israel and neighboring regions show that most men stood around five feet to five feet five inches tall. Soldiers were sometimes slightly taller. A man over six feet would have been striking.
This makes a six-foot-seven warrior genuinely imposing. Even more so if armed with advanced weaponry and heavy armor, as Goliath was.
The biblical text describes his spearhead alone weighing six hundred shekels of iron (1 Samuel 17:7), roughly fifteen pounds—an extraordinary weapon even for a large man.
Goliath's Height in Biblical Interpretation
Theological Meaning
Readers have long noted that Goliath’s size, whether giant-like or simply exceptional, illustrates the theme that God does not save by human strength but by faith and courage. David’s victory is rooted not in size or power but in trust.
Literary Purpose
In ancient storytelling, warriors of extraordinary stature often represented overwhelming threat. The point was not merely physical size but symbolic intimidation. Goliath’s height serves this narrative purpose well.
Historical Possibility
From a historical perspective, very tall individuals did exist. Genetic conditions, regional variation, and training could all contribute to unusual height. The shorter height (about six foot seven) fits well within known ancient possibilities.
So How Tall Was Goliath?
Scholars debate the question, but two responsible answers emerge:
Masoretic Text: around 9–10 feet
Dead Sea Scrolls / Septuagint: around 6–7 feet
Modern study often favors the six-foot-seven estimate because it reflects our oldest manuscripts. Yet the traditional reading remains deeply rooted in the church’s memory of the story.
Either way, the biblical message stands: Goliath was a towering enemy, and David’s courage came not from physical strength but from trust in God.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do any ancient giants match the Masoretic Text height?
Extraordinary heights have been recorded in modern times, though extremely rarely. The Masoretic height is exceptional but not impossible.
Why would a scribe change the number?
Possibly to heighten the drama or due to a numerical copying error, which was a common type of scribal mistake.
Which height is more historically likely?
Most scholars lean toward the Dead Sea Scrolls’ measurement of four cubits and a span.
Does Goliath’s height matter for the message of the story?
Not ultimately. The point of the narrative is God’s deliverance and David’s courage.
See Also • Bible Facts Hub
• Bible Measurement Converter Tool
