What happened to
Goliath’s SWORD and SPEAR?

Everyone is familiar with the story of David and Goliath. What few people realize is just how BIG and STRONG was Goliath the giant:

"And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span." (1Samuel 17:4, NKJV throughout)

The exact length of the ancient cubit, using modern measurement standards, varies depending on the source used. Various Bible commentaries place the length of a cubit anywhere from 17 inches (43.2 centimeters) to 21 inches (53.3 centimeters). The length of a span is believed to have been around 9 inches (22.9 centimeters). Conservatively, Goliath was 9 feet 3 inches tall or 2.82 meters and likely was a bit bigger! Compare this to the average height of a U.S. male (2003-2006 data) of 5 feet 10 inches (1.8 meters).

"He (Goliath) had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him." (1Samuel 17:5-7)

Conservatively, Goliath wore a protective coat that weighed at least 78 U.S. pounds (35.4 kilograms). Several commentaries place the weight of the coat at an amazing 156 U.S. pounds (70.8 kilograms)! The length of his spear may have been as long as 26 feet (7.9 meters). The head alone on the spear weighed at least 17 pounds U.S. (7.7 kilograms). Goliath was a formidable opponent indeed!

What did David take from Goliath and where was it stored?

The Bible states that when David slew Goliath, he took his armor and put them in his tent. Goliath's sword and spear were obviously impressive and a real trophy:

"And David took the head of the Philistine (Goliath) and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his (Goliath's) armor in his tent." (1Samuel 17:54)

"David asked Ahimelech, 'Don’t you have a spear or a sword here? I haven’t brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king’s business was urgent.' The priest replied, 'The sword of GOLIATH THE PHILISTINE, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth BEHIND THE EPHOD. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.' David said, 'There is none like it; give it to me.' " (1Samuel 21:8-9)

Notice carefully where it was when the priest fetched it ---- behind the ephod.  The sword had become a sacred national possession for Israel.  We can well guess that the spear was the same.

How is the Tribe of Dan related to Goliath's sword and spear?

Some students of the Bible are familiar in history with the fact that a large portion of the Israelite tribe of Dan had migrated through Europe after captivity and into what is now Ireland.  Scripture says " . . . why did Dan remain in ships?" (Judges 5:17).  Dan is missing from Revelation 7's listing of the twelve tribes.  In the 11th edition of Encyclopedia Britannica  (1911) in an article on Ireland, under the subheading of "Legendary Origins, Early History" we find a people called  the "Tuatha de Danan" (tribe of Dan) had migrated into Ireland having with them the Stone of Destiny (called the Lia Fail or Jacob's pillar stone). There was also taken some of the king's daughters (Jeremiah 41:10; 43:6), princesses, and descendents of the house of David, through which God kept his promise to David to always have descendants on a throne over Israel.   The article also mentions Scythian warriors migrated also to Ireland. In Colossians 3:11, we find the Scythians were a major group of people: ". . . put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian (foreigner), SCYTHIAN, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all." (Colossians 3:10-11) In a dichotomy, they were the circumcised Israelites as opposed to the Romans and were a major part of the Parthian empire.  Parthians were present at the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9).  Studies of history show that many of the Parthian-Scythian peoples were part of the lost ten tribes of Israel -- the northern kingdom after the split when Solomon's son, Rehoboam, became king and the northern ten tribes seceded, setting up capital at Samaria. Some of the ten northern tribes left Palestine earlier and others were taken captive by Assyria and carried away.		David Marble sculpture by Michelangelo (1504 A.D.)