CITY OF GIANTS! Tel Gath (Tel El Safi) Tour: Philistine City of Goliath and other Giants!
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Rising from the rolling hills of southern Israel lies Tel Gath, the ancient Philistine stronghold once known as the hometown of Goliath, the giant warrior who faced young David in the Bible. This sprawling archaeological site, one of the largest in the region, was a center of power, culture, and fierce battles more than 3,000 years ago. Visiting Tel Gath is like stepping into the pages of the Bible, where history and myth blend in the very soil beneath your feet.
Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:53 - Walking Tour Start & Location
2:24 - Historical Background
5:03 - Giants in the Bible & Biblical Events at Gath
12:33 - Faith Lesson from Gath
Location
1. Gath (Tel Es-Safi) is located about 17 miles (28 km) east of Ashkelon. The word Gath means βwinepress.ββ
Historical Background
1. Gath was one of the five main cities of the Philistines (Josh. 13:3; 1 Sam. 6:17).
2. The site is a large, multi-period site that is made up of many layers. Each layer represents a distinct phase in the site's history.
3. Tel Es-Safi has a long history of settlement. The site was first settled sometime around 5000 BC. It has been continually settled until modern times. The last settlement there was an Arab village that was abandoned during the Israeli War of Independence in 1948.
4. It was a well-fortified walled city (2 Chron. 26:6).
5. Joshua and the Israelites were unable to conquer Gath despite the numerous conflicts between the Israelites and the inhabitants of Gath.
6. It wasnβt until King David that the city was conquered and became part of the Israelite Kingdom (1 Chron. 18:1).
7. Its name is most remembered as the home of the giant, Goliath, whom David slew (1 Sam. 17:4).β
Giants in the Bible
What do we know about them from the Bible?
1. In the lower excavations of this Tel, they have discovered rooms that are twice the size of what would be normal. Is this evidence that giants once inhabited this area?
2. The Bible describes several groups of giants, including the Nephilim, Anakim, Rephaim, Emim, and Zamzummin.
3. The Nephilim, mentioned in Genesis and Numbers, are a mysterious group often interpreted as the offspring of "sons of God" and human women.
4. The Anakim and Rephaim are powerful, tall people the Israelites encountered in Canaan, with Goliath being a famous example of a giant descended from this lineage.
While some interpretations view these giants as the result of a supernatural union, others consider them to be exceptionally large and powerful humans.
One account in the Bible that refers to the Rephaim speaks of Og, King of Bashan: Deuteronomy 3:11 describes his massive bed: "Only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. His bed was an iron bed and was nine cubits long and four cubits wide [about 13.5 feet long, 4 meters, and 6 feet wide, 2 meters], according to the common cubit." This implies a man of truly enormous stature.
The Emim, as found in Deuteronomy 2:10-11, are described as "a people strong and numerous, and as tall as the Anakim," and Emim. These were also giants who formerly inhabited the land of Moab.
The last set of giants, known as the Zamzummin, as found in Deuteronomy 2:20, were similar to the Emim. They were giants who lived in the land of Ammon before the Ammonites inhabited it.
Gath in the Bible
1. It has archaeological remains that are unusual, revealing that giants once lived here. This is affirmed by the Bible. 1 Chronicles 20:8
2. It was one of the Philistine cities where the Ark of the Covenant resided before being taken to Ekron. 1 Samuel 5:8
3. Goliath, the giant that young David slew, was from Gath. 1 Samuel 17:4
4. When King Saul was seeking to kill David, David went to Gath to hide from Saul and acted like a crazy person because he feared the king of Gath.
1 Samuel 21:10-15
5. Later, when King Saul was again pursuing David to kill him, David fled and lived in Gath for a while. 1 Samuel 27:2-3
