Research reveals:
The Philistines complained to the Israelites that David's use of a sling and his beheading of Goliath when the giant lay wounded on the ground, violated the rules of combat at the time and that recrimination against the Israelites would continue for thousands of years.
The Philistines further argue:
1. That though Goliath had daily dared a soldier to fight him, David was but a child and Goliath would not have harmed him;
2. That Goliath's proposal that the war be decided by one battle between him and an Israelite soldier was designed to save lives and was in harmony with the Elaj accords;
3. That at the time of the beheading, Goliath was not attacking David and David was not in harm's way;
4. That slingshots were not an internationally-approved weapon of war, and could have injured non-combatant civilians who were interspersed with the non-uniformed Philistine soldiers;
5. That history has unfairly portrayed Goliath as a cruel, killing machine, when in fact he was a brave, heroic warrior.
There is much to think about and to learn from this ancient tale, though it is not likely ever to be repeated, is it?
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