The others thought Goliath was too big to beat while David thought he was too big to miss

When I was a teen I was taken to the country to play with some boys who lived on a farm. A ten year old had a sling and asked if I wanted to see him hit a building in the distance. Off on the horizon I could see a galvanized grain storage building - a long rifle shot. The boy selected a chunk of concrete about the size of a fist, spun it, let go and then we waited and waited. Then - CLANG! At that moment the David and Goliath story changed in my mind.

When I talk about David, I always talk about how he never ran into kingship the moment he was chosen. He lived his life and in doing so he was slowly prepared for what was to come. Unlike the average soldier, David faced lions and bears and killed them. He was courageous and fearless but mostly he was faithful in the covering he had. What you belief is very important because what you believe is what you give power to. He had no doubt and no fear! Lesson: Every difficult situation we face and overcome, seasons us, prepares us and strengthens us, if you learn the lessons it brings! Life is full of lessons! Hammered metal is the toughest! Be confident, brave and fearless! But mostly have FAITH IN GOD!

Very good presentation with some thoughtful points. But just for the record: 1. Goliath's height was noted as six cubits (18 inches x 6) and a span (9 inches) which calculates to 9'9", not 6'9". 2. David fought off lions and bears, not lions and wolves. 3. And sometimes David did strike said animals with his hands and kill them. So he did have hand-to-hand combat training in fields and saw Goliath as just another animal who mocks God.

Goliath was 6.5 CUBITS...which means he was NINE feet and 7 inches. It says that his shield bearer went before him..the shield bearer was not leading him by the hand..he was carrying his shield. He made his defiance for 40 days...not at all a feeble man walking slow. And when he saw David it says, “He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him.” If he couldn’t see well then how would he know that David was glowing with health and was handsome? Also interesting to note that Goliath had a brother and three sons, also of gigantic proportions..they also had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. David did not pick up five stones for arbitrary reasons. He was prepared to kill Goliath as well as his brother and three sons, who may have been struck with desire for vengeance at seeing Goliath fall. Nice talk though...I especially like the acknowledgement of slingers as deadly accurate with the weapon. It is very true.

Goliath had four brothers, all of whom were also Giants. It was also a standard practice for heavy infantry to be accompanied by an armor bearer, as recorded in the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer, single-handedly attacking a Philistine Garrison. When the Israelites first approached Canaan several hundred years earlier they were initially afraid to enter because it was a land full of giants. So while the story has an interesting spin to it, probably the giantism so, in the land was due to genetics, rather than pituitary malfunction.

Amazing! I've heard the first part, about how powerful slingshots/slingers could be, talked about before (probably after this talk was originally given 9 years ago), but I'd never heard the second part, and that's what makes it powerful! Just hearing that David wasn't as helpless as people thought just gets rid of the underdog theme without replacing it with a new theme - you need the second piece, that a giant's greatest strength may actually be (or be caused by) his greatest weakness. Valuable lesson for all of us.

Dear Malcolm, Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your insight and perspective on this event. Your talk is a fine example of a commentary on Scripture grounded in sound research. As many of your commentators stated, your take may not be the full story about David, but it certainly is worthy of contemplation. As to the question that you started with: why do we call David the underdog, a Catholic answer might be that Scripture must always be interpreted in light of Scripture and the Living Tradition of the Magisterium. One can therefore fruitfully read Scripture with one of four meanings. For instance, Christ said, "destroy this Temple and I will rebuild it in three days." The literal meaning of the word "temple" is the third temple built by Herod. The typological meaning is Christ's own body. That is the meaning that seeks Christ in the Scripture. The allegorical meaning of the word "temple" is the Church, which was born out of Christ's side on the Cross and the moral meaning is each one of us since as Saint Paul stated, each of us and all of us collectively are to be the Temple of the Holy Spirit. These four senses: literal, typological, allegorical and moral are a very good way to apprehend Scripture. Typologically, therefore, the reason why David was called the underdog is that he is a forerunner of Christ: He alone goes down into the valley to meet Goliath. Likewise, Christ alone went down into the valley of the dead to defeat Satan. The perfect shot of David represents the perfection of Grace that put an end to the reign of Satan. Like David, Christ had no weapons and no allies when he carried the Cross. Like David, his own people did not believe in his victory. Like David, he faced death with the glory of God and like David, he was triumphant. In the final analysis: every hero is a reflection of the Son of Man, the one and only Savior of mankind.

I'm glad to revisit this well known story of David and Goliath. I do not agree that Goliath was blind and hobbled from disease. There is only two descriptions of Goliath in the Bible. 1. Goliath was a champion. 2. Goliath was a man of war since his youth. How did Goliath earn the title of "champion"? There is only one way. Goliath experienced many battles in which he proved himself to be champion. Goliath was a man of war. He was not a shepherd or a carpenter, he was a warrior of renowned reputation trained for battle since he was young. There are many NBA players that are seven feet tall. None of them suffer from gigantism. They are just healthy men that are also tall. David did not defeat a blind, diseased and hobbled man. David defeated an experienced champion man of war.

I’m so glad to hear what those stones were made of because I picked some up from that valley and they ARE. Very heavy.

I know this, regardless of anything between David and Goliath, God always referred to David as "a man after his own heart". So take what you want from this biblical fact, but remember to strive to be a man or woman after God's own heart! ♥️

This is a very good take on that event 👏. I heard a preacher say years ago that David had the courage to face him because of all the wild animals he had to fight off to protect his sheep. Defending his sheep established his faith and made him believe that he could take on Goliath.

I never saw David as an underdog. When I grew up hearing the story and they told how he defended his flock and I knew he was no one to mess with. Maybe it’s because I was raised around animals and know their capabilities when hungry or stressed. They are very fast, agile and sneaky. In order for David to be able to kill an hungry animal he would have to have a skill compatible to a trained warrior. Yes he was young but back in those days children didn’t just sit around all day they too had responsibilities. It dismays me that from the start people don’t give David the credit he is due. Youth doesn’t mean incapable.

times like this is why i like read the comments before getting invested in a long video

I really enjoyed this talk. I do have something to add. The Masoretic Text has "six cubits and a span" (9 feet 9 inches or 2.97 metres) as Goliath's height. Another thing you didn't mention was that David went and picked 5 smooth stones before his battle with Goliath. Why was that? Because Goliath had 4 brothers. I suppose he felt he might have to fight them out. I loved the end of your talk, what appears to be their greatest strength can also be a giants greatest weakness. With God all things are possible.

Oh wow! So Goliath of Gath was a champion. A killer! The person who “led” Goliath down to the valley floor was not a seeing eye dog, he was an armor bearer for a champion which was common practice for great warriors and kings. He said Goliath was only armed with weapons for close quarters combat, yet last I checked a spear and a javelin can be devastating at a pretty extreme distance. Also the Philistines would have been out of their minds to send a blind man with such a handicap to represent them against the nation of Israel.

It's strangely comforting knowing that "TED Talks" occur in my parents' converted-basement family room.

Sounds like he had a squire to assist him with holding his weapons and getting him in and out of heavy armor like medieval knights, not that Goliath was disabled and needed an attendant.

I think this was very interesting RPMs, stone density ete.. To think that David was still relying on the Lord for this Battle. "today the Lord will give you into my hands" pretty sure David did not know all this info about Goliath before the fight! His courage was amazing.

That was a brilliant explanation. Makes so much more sense now.

I feel like the argument about the sling being equivalent to a gun is pretty solid, but I feel like Goliath was for sure a better warrior than he made him out to be.

Romans 1:22: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."

The Bible says that David won the battle versus Goliath because God is with Him and the power of God is with David. Lesson Learned How Big is the battle we are facing we can be victorious because God is with us.

So basically, David brought a gun to a sword fight.

Possible......but It was the practice of Warriors to have a Shield Bearer accompany them into battle. Also, if he was not a threat, why was the entire army except David, itimidated by him?

With all that technological and medical advancement we can today measure Goliath’s weaknesses but I’m sure nobody 3,000 years ago had such knowledge. It was all David’s courage, self believe and probably observation that led him to win against Goliath.

If you are reading this, know that you are worthy of anything you desire. Most times it amazes me greatly how I moved from an average lifestyle to earning over $63k per month, Utter shock is the word. I have understood a lot in the past few years that there are lots of opportunities in the financial market. The only thing is to know where to invest.

An excellent talk. Thankyou very much. It is wonderful that we received a detailed explanation.

Most athletes in the NBA are giants, and they all seem to display great vision and physical prowess.

Goliath didn't have an attendant; he has a "shield bearer". David got the rocks from a brook not the ground. David had already killed a bear and a lion defending the flock.which means he defeated the layers of protective thick matted hair which protects those animals with his sling. David knew exactly what he was facing and how to defeat the problem because he saw Goliath for what he was. The soldiers were in panic mode at the sight of him. The soldiers had lost their cognitive reasoning because the brain had moved to survival mode and shut down the creative thinking part of the brain. David was not being threatened because he wasn't a soldier. He was just bringing his brother's lunch! so in David's relaxed, unthreatened brain, David could see the solution. When we panic we lose perspective and the agency to chose the best. Sin makes us panic. And that, for me, is the moral to the story.

I just love how Malcolm tells stories.

This is a very interesting telling of the story and brings out details I hadn't known before, but it leaves out the moral of the story. David was pissed off at Goliath because he and the Philistines were speaking blasphemy against God. David told Saul: "Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” David knew he was defending GOD'S army, and he had faith that God would rescue him against the giant just as he had rescued him in the past. This is an illustration of faith and the power of God that goes with the faithful.

An important fact, often overlooked, is that David used Goliath's own weapon to deliver the killing blow (coup de grace}. The lesson is, if your opponent is armed, then you are too.

The true moral of the story: "the battle belongs to the Lord" -- quoted by David in the story.

Love ❤️ this story.. ‘never judge a book by its cover’

that was so nice to hear - i always just heard David agains Goliath and this is so very well researched . it's a treat

Three errors: 1. Goliath was 9'6 not 6'9 2. Saul was mentioned as being head and shoulders above all in the land, not Goliath 3. This story is about faith not human power.

I specially liked the geography lesson. It really set the scene.

I heard the story so many times but this one is a win.

I just finished reading this book. An excellent read.

Interesting interpretation, well told. However, it contains unsupported suppositions regarding Goliath's condition and alleged handicaps. Goliath wasn't a handicapped show freak. The Philistines recognized Goliath as a "champion" (1 Samuel 17:4, 23, 51) because he'd whooped some butt. He was accompanied by a shield bearer, not some kind of caregiver. There are many races of giants in the Bible and the spies sent to scout out Canaan reported such in this very region; no need to speculate Goliath was a one-off mutant with some pituitary condition. The Bible explains the basis of David's victory in 1 Samuel 17:46-47: "Then David said to the Philistine, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. ... For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”

Goliath is described as a champion not an acromegalic cripple...he was not being led down, it was his armour bearer.. Goliath could tell that David was good looking with clear skin glowing with health, meaning he had great vision...why would an army have a champion with poor vision???..As for sticks., that is simply euphemism.. and if you doubt my analysis, fact check, the biblical story is from the 1st book of Samuel chapter 17, and the battle sequence is in verse 41-48.

wonderful talk you brought the story to life

Smart and compelling analysis that is also inspirational and applicable everywhere.

1. Some people may call an attendant a squire in certain cases. Not unlike knights of old. 2. Some armor is heavy. Slows a person down. 3. "Come to me!" Commanding behavior isn't uncommon in those that are full of themselves.

He forgot to say the most inmportant part were david tells him he comes in the name of the lord etc

I have to say, I have speculated about Goliath's probable impairments because some references did raise some flags for me (never seriously pondered on them though), but I never realized how potent a weapon a sling could be.

This telling of David & Goliath makes me more faithful. So many said the spiritual is taken from it. But no it’s still there. God show up in the miraculous yes but even in the basic and practical

The moral of the story is that David was walking with God and that we should have faith. David was the only brave person standing up against Goliath. David knew that he wouldn't die that day because he believed in the prophecy that he would be the king in the future. At the time David wasn't a king, but the prophecy said he would be king, so he already knew that God would protect him so he could be the king in the future. David walked with God and God protected him. That is the moral of the story.

youre confusing goliath with king saul, who was head and sholders above his peers. goliath had 4 giant brothers, so it was not a disease, but a genetic trait. he was mocking david.

Awesome presentation. Inspiring. Thank you.

Moral; never bring a knife to a gun fight. Or in more biblical terms, never bring a sword to a sling fight. Good interpretation Malcolm.

He's right about one thing. David was not the underdog. It didn't matter who David fought, he was going to win because he was YHVH's sling. No one can stand against YHVH and win.

I liked the artillery/slinger vs infantry comment, but Gladwell took a lot of liberties in his translation of the text to make this story work. - David reportedly "clubbed" wild beasts to protect his flock - Goliath was not led by the hand by a servant. He was a "champion" with a shield-bearer to go before him, which was common for kings - Goliath had a javelin, sword, and spear. He was heavy infantry and artillery. - Goliath did not say "sticks" but "stick" - After stating that Goliath had the advantage of armor weaponry, David does not cite his club, nor this sling, but that his weapon was "the Name of the Living God" This story is recorded as an historical account, not epic fantasy. That sort of literature did not exist until 2,000 years later. Facts matter.

Very interesting insights and research by speaker and author Malcolm Gladwell. Some very good comment below by others who read the Bible as inspiring to study and understand the relationship between the history and the present. Gladwell insight does exactly what it should. Inspire others to read the "Living word" and question it's relevancy in their own walk. It seems to me that only when one questions with the right motives. A right answer for that person (author) appears, for others to question in the telling. That's what good books do. Good insights I am going to re read the story. I like some of the comments below for fact check, and further study.

Thank you for you picking up on stuff I never would have, and retelling the story of David and Goliath. You made it make sense.

Funny. He gives all of Goliaths quotes but none of Davids replys. Also Saul said that Goliath had been a " warrior from his Youth" He was also Referred to as a "Champion" so he obviously had a fearsome reputation and the only way you Lived Long in the WARRIOR profession or as a CHAMPION in that time period was to be Good. Being lucky was not an option, Because Luck doesn't last that long in "hack and slash" combat. Because someone else will be luckier than you sooner than later. I would further submit that David was highly skilled with the sling and not lucky.. As a shepherd he had plenty of time to practice while watching the sheep.

What we can learn from this story is that David was assured and secured in who he was (Identity), and what he can and cannot do (Ability). Most of us would be easily overawed by the occasion of needing to properly represent the King and thus putting on Saul's royal armor. How many of us could say no, and be fully assured of our own personal skills and experiences that we do not need to look like someone else to be more instagram worthy? David knew who he belong to, and what he can and cannot bring with him. He knew he was not representing Saul the king, but the God who made Saul king. He knew his abilities with his shepherd sling and his lack of ability with sword and shield. If only we can apply the same philosophy to every part of life, most of our insecurity and imposter syndromes would not cripple us. What would our world look like if we are assured in who we are, and confident in offering our honed skills and abilities instead of conforming to what is politically correct trying to fit square pegs in round holes?

He's a great storyteller !

Fantastic perspective!

Interesting theory. But Goliath was a champion. He would have most likely fought many of battles. He'd be a veteran solider. David wasn't. Snipers miss shots with scopes. David's victory was not assured.

Amazing writer read all his books in while quarantine..amazing

I find it interesting that David picked up five stones. You find out as you read that Goliath had four brothers. Apparently, David intended to take care of all five with his sling.

Interesting ! 🤔 There are many layers to this story. That's why it is a great story !!Thank you !😘

The scriptures do not say Goliath was led by the hand by a boy into the field of combat. What it says was that Goliath’s armor bearer (shield carrier) walked in front of him. An armor bearer was customary to be with a champion who was going to combat. David too became an armor bearer of King Saul during David’s youth.

The true moral of the story: Bring a Gun to a knife fight.

man i could listen to this guy talk for hours. it’s what i’ve been doing for hours

This brings up a point that gets me riled on so many TV shows. Why would someone with a gun close to within an arms length of someone who is unarmed or armed with a knife? Sometimes they even put the gun in the person's stomach or back! How many TV scenes turn the story around because the guy with the gun gets disarmed by someone who is faster? If you have a gun or other distance weapon, it seems only logical to keep your distance far enough that you can get a shot off before the other person can reach you.

I have to disagree with the exegesis here; Gladwell has some agreeable points here and there, but I don’t think the overall conclusion is sound. Gladwell here argues for the lethality and efficiency of the slinger. This is true to a certain degree. Slingers certainly could kill from a distance; we have tested that sling bullets can penetrate shields and armor to varying degrees. However, I think Gladwell overestimates the effectiveness of slingers on the battlefield, stating that they’re the primary inflictor of casualties, and the bane of heavy infantryman and whatnot, so much so to the impression that the slinger was in most respects superior to the heavy infantryman on most occasions. From a military history perspective, this simply is not true. For the sake of brevity, I won’t cite an exhaustive list of historical examples, but will only argue from the logical perspective: If slingers were so much more effective and feared on the battlefield, why was heavy infantry the numerically predominant soldier in almost all of pre-gunpowder era, instead of being phased out at the introduction of the sling (which was VERY early in human history)? Why were slingers’ role eventually completely replaced by the bow in the early middle ages? This point alone should sufficiently shake Gladwell’s entire argument about David’s superiority in combat. However, if we see how slingers consistently took a supportive role in field battles and sieges in history, we could then appropriately conclude that slingers had situational uses, but probably did not supersede the heavy infantryman in combat effectiveness, thus invalidating Gladwell’s argument of David not actually being disadvantaged against Goliath. Gladwell’s other conclusion that Goliath was not actually combat effective is on shaky ground; specifically, the interpretation that Goliath was not very mobile or was visually impaired are vaguely drawn from the passages. The fact that Goliath was accompanied by a squire is a very common concept in history, and does not necessarily indicate that the fighter was physically impaired in any way. And the fact that Goliath used the plural form of the word “sticks” does not necessarily imply that he saw multiple; it’s very possible that he just used it as a rhetorical figure (e.g. “Was I born to argue with a mob of idiots on KZfaq?” when there may be only one person engaging in argument with me). I submit that it is overreaching to take that passage as good evidence that Goliath was indeed visually impaired. In fact, the author explicitly states that Goliath was an experienced warrior and was feared by many. If he were physically lame, as Gladwell suggests, I don’t think he would have such a respectable reputation, nor would the Philistine army have had that much confidence in him to rely on him in single combat. Thus, I do not find Gladwell’s argument very convincing. I can understand the moral he’s trying to make, but I don’t think the passage fits his narrative.

It's also interesting how the story reflects on the socities themselves - do you send your disabled soldiers as cannonfodder or your very best to a duel? Are soldiers, and by extension your people, expendable or is each life worth preserving? Sending out Goliath, however intimidating, seems like an incredibly cruel gamble..

I love this. I watch this every few months.

I enjoyed Gladwell's speculation on David and Goliath. His conclusion that Goliath was actually weak is based on a string of interpretations of details that is tantamount to running the table in pool. I admired it; I found it not credible. Andre the Giant could break your head with one blow. He wasn't healthy; he could murder you. I also note that a bronze shield is a sovereign defense against a single sling man. What happened in that valley of certain death for David was that God delivered David. It was simply a miracle. On the other hand, Gladwell is mostly right in his conclusion; the things we see in our lives as inconquerable giants . . . seldom are. Again, I enjoyed this vignette.

David picked up 5 stones, because Goliath had 4 brothers who were also Giants that were not 6 foot 9, but 12 feet in height.

For anyone (like Gladwell) willing to take this fable on its own merits the fact that David was not an "underdog" has nothing to do with his sling and everything to do with the fact that the Lord God Almighty and Creator Of The Universe assured the victory. But I look forward to the brilliant Gladwell's next Ted Talk about how the walls of Jericho were brought crashing down by well designed Israelite trumpets.

We grew up with it as a story of conquering giants. It's really about God's servants answering the call. I LOVE listening to Malcolm Gladwell. Such an interesting intellectual.

Oh Malcolm, you do know how to cast new light on a story that hundreds of generations could not see. Thanks for your brilliance.

“You come against me with sword and spear, but I come against you in the name of the Lord"

king saul was over 7 feet tall and was a mighty warrior

After listening to this great story/talk by Malcolm, I thought, the idea that others are “stronger or weaker” than us is solely an illusion, as the strength of the individual we are looking at may strongly depend on the person who is judging. Whilst, neither can we say that a person is “strong” or “weak” only based on our first impression of them, as I think people all have strengths and weaknesses, and it is merely a matter of how obvious these traits are. Therefore, I would argue, beyond not to exaggerate or underestimate people’s strengths and weaknesses, in a practical sense, we would have to logically examine people’s strengths and weaknesses, so that we can use this information to understand others and protect ourselves.

What a good story! Thank you!

Next thing we know is David had a Shotgun and Goliath was missing his legs and went to fight on a wheelchair

Add a note to the fact he picked up five smooth stones. Goliath had four brothers. David was getting ready for them as well. Let that sink in.

When the guy said that the stone hit with the power of a 45 cal bullet, he was wrong. I did the math, double checked, triple checked. I even gave the sling a generous amount of length (the longer, the more powerful,) and gave it a high rpm spin to the sling. It was way off. 290 newton sling, vs 3500 newton bullet.

Idk what made me come across this video but damn .. this was a great listen.

How could the Mightiest warrior have been blind? Really???? Plus, he is mixing Saul with Goliath, Saul is the one who was head and shoulders higher Goliath had 4 brothers and they were born of the Nephilim This man makes no sense, sorry

"And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him". 2 Samuel 17:41. I do not get a sense of Goliath being led by a boy or that he was not able to get to the valley without help. Mr. Gladwell is an interesting storyteller but he changes the Bible's account of this for his purposes.

"Let him who hath understanding..." what a brilliant fellow.

I just watched a video with Malcolm being destroyed by Mr. Douglas, and I’m just checking in to make sure Malcolm is still with us

I believe Mr.Gladwell meant to say, David's rock had the stopping power of a 45 caliber pistol (11.5mm) not 45mm. 45mm would be twice the size of a WWII anti-aircraft round.

After watching this video, I quickly picked up my bible to see the veracity of Gladwell’s claims. I re-read the story of David and Goliath, and sighed. Malcolm Gladwell did it again! In this talk he has superfluously misquoted the Bible and the story. - Goliath wasn’t a helpless disabled giant. He was a champion. He was the Philistine champion of Gath. - Goliath wasn’t accompanied by an attendant to help him because he was blind. He had a shield-bearer who went before him. -David got his stones from a brook, they were smooth stones naturally curved by the river not some pellet-like with the strength of a bullet. -Goliath saw that David was a lad and despised him and cursed him saying, “Am I a dog bat you should approach me with A stick?” Not STICKS as Malcolm claimed, suggesting that Goliath was cross-eyed. -Goliath moved to attack David but David was quicker. And keep in mind, Goliath had a shield bearer in front of him when he encountered David. Goliath was a knowledgeable warrior, not a victim. Indeed, he might be slow to move like many taller people do, but compared to David he was not powerless as Malcolm imagined him to be. Listen - I have read 3 Malcolm Gladwell books, and over time, I saw through his narrative style. Malcom picks a point to prove, a very dramatic one, and aligns all the facts to come to the conclusion he wants. That’s not scientific, or empirical. Look at facts, and arrive at the truth not the other way around. He’s so clever as to fool, that’s a bad use of intelligence. Malcolm Gladwell is no more than a storyteller. Indeed he does his research and is probably more eloquent than the typical storyteller who reads in front of 6 year olds. But that’s all there is to it. I have stored his books away in my shelf of NICTION genres. Books that come to you as non fiction, but is really fiction in the depth of the author’s imaginative spin. This particular shelf will go to Goodwill or burnt at some point. It’s non value-adding, and if you think about it...destructive to human intelligence. The non-sensible will treat the facts as they are, unknowingly, and treat them as the bastion of truth. To the sensible, beware of this poison. To the foolish, go pick up a bible and see for yourself. Look for the truth yourself, and not share the truth of a storyteller.

He had a staff sling ... combination of a long staff and a sling on the end. Incredibly powerfull ... hand sling yes good but staff sling ? Deadly..

I immediately thought he said sticks because David was little and the staff was the second stick. Very good talk.

The Philistines fled because David put the fear of God in them. If the Philistines believed Goliath was not a capable warrior, they wouldn't have run away. If the Philistines believed David got a cheap shot off on their main man, they wouldn't have run away. As it stands, they turned tail and ran. It was a moment of clarity for the Philistines - "God is on their side."

Why would an army, who’s victory hinges on one person, choose the blind, freakishly tall guy who can’t walk straight to fight their battle for them??

Thank you for sharing. Please, continue success.

Glad to listen sources of inspiration like this story.

I know little children who know this story and the details better than this guy and not only that, they also know that the story is about faith and believing in the power of the Lord God almighty! This man needs to read the story AGAIN!

Gladwell is right about the value of a sling in the hands of a well-trained skillful slinger. One weakness in Gladwell's argument is that he thinks he knows something the people at the time didn't, that a sling is a great longer-range weapon. Another thing is that the Philistines would not know if Goliath was inept.

1Sa 17:39-43 (39) David strapped on a sword and tried to walk around, but he was not used to wearing those things. "I can't move with all this stuff on," David said. "I'm just not used to it." David took off the armor (40) and picked up his shepherd's stick. He went out to a stream and picked up five smooth rocks and put them in his leather bag. Then with his sling in his hand, he went straight toward Goliath. (41) Goliath came toward David, walking behind the soldier who was carrying his shield. (42) When Goliath saw that David was just a healthy, good-looking boy, he made fun of him. (43) "Do you think I'm a dog?" Goliath asked. "Is that why you've come after me with a stick?" He cursed David in the name of the Philistine gods

Loved the book!!! Stellar! 🔊📚