Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: RGmyrken AT aol.com

Russell:

This is interesting. We know that later after David became king, his troops 
were called “hoplites” הפלתי which I opined is 
a Philistine loan word into Hebrew. Apparently the Philistines were not only 
armed with steel while most of their foes still had bronze, if anything, but 
that they also developed battle tactics that were so good that the Greeks 
were still using them centuries later. A downside is that those tactics 
required an almost full-time army, hence a Philistine need for vassel nations 
giving tribute to maintain their armies.

It is known that much of Greek civilization was copied from other sources in 
the Levant, it would not surprise me that this is one more copy into Greek 
society.

Karl W. Randolph.

> Dear Brian,
> 
>    I Sam. 17:41 clearly reflects Hellenistic hoplight military tactics, in 
> which a shield-bearer was standard.  The description of Goliath's weaponry 
> is 
> also consistent with such an interpretation.  Please see any standard work 
> on 
> the Hellenistic armies.
> 
> Best regards,
> Russell Gmirkin
> 
> > My confusion is based on how it could have worked that two of them would 
> > be approaching David. I understand the idea of an armour-bearer to carry 
> > weapons etc. for a warrior, but surely when he is actually going to 
> > battle the armour-bearer then gives the armour to the warrior.
> > 
> >
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