David was between 16 and 20 years old. He was still very much a young man. The wilds of Palestine were not safe, leaving him to defend his flock of sheep from lions, bears, and wolves with the very same sling he now readied. Moving forward, he gathered some stones from a nearby creek and considered his opponent. There was no wild animal here. A towering giant stood before him, his armor weighing almost as much as the young man himself. Closing the distance, David let loose his stone and struck Goliath down. As he cut his head off, Goliath’s Philistine army, previously so defiant, fled as they were cut down by David’s countrymen. How does the death of one man, and the triumph of another, have the power to move armies and determine battles?
This is the third in a series of essays devoted to examining ancient warfare and its relevance to the soldiers, sailors, and airmen of today.You can find Parts I, and II HERE and HERE – respectively. The historical events examined here are necessarily simplified in order to better serve the discussion and to make them more accessible. The historical background serves as context for the corresponding discussion at hand; it is not the focus of discussion. Readers should use the questions at the end for personal reflection or to fuel discussion within their own formations.
As told by the first book of Samuel in the Christian Bible or the Tanahk in the Jewish faith, , David and Goliath is the story of two armies on a Palestinian battlefield some 3,000 years ago. Foregoing open conflict, these early Iron Age warriors turned to their champions to determine the outcome. As we seek to understand what happened, it is important that we understand the people involved and, importantly, their culture.
People and Culture
For much of human history, the answer to many of the “whys” that life generated often came down to the divine. ” The god(s) brought the harvests, affected the seasons, and gave strength to warriors. In classical writing, we can see the Greeks, and their very lively pantheon, reflecting this mindset and cultural experience. Biblically, it is this time period when Yahweh, the god of the Old Testament frequently refers to himself as the “Lord of Hosts.” He is likened to a warrior king, protecting his people from the gods of their enemies. So too, the Spartans had Ares, the Athenians had Athena, and the Philistines had Baal. These cosmic forces were an inextricable part of the culture and the power of any god. The economic and military power of its people were believed to be linked together.
This mindset naturally affected their daily lives, and attuned the people to bringing strength and honor to whatever god they happen to believe in. The armies of the day carried this mindset with them to the battlefield, supposing that their god would act as a sort of patron aiding them in all of their efforts. The stronger god had the stronger people; the stronger people win the battles. In the case of Goliath, it certainly seemed to prove true, and it is no coincidence that he is the one to issue the challenge. “Here was proof that Baal was mightier,” they might say, “simply look at his size!”
The Fight
1 Samuel 17 describes the standoff between the armies as lasting for 40 days. The Israelites and the Philistine armies were camped on top of a hill overlooking the Valley of Elah in modern Israel. As each army waited for the other to make a move, Goliath first appeared to break the stalemate. “Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” It was an easy statement for a man that is estimated to be between 7 and 9 feet tall.
When the young man known as David arrives, he takes offense at Goliath’s mocking. The insult is taken less on account of the army of Israel, and more on account of the insults delivered to his god. His response is telling, “…who is this…that he should defy the armies of the living God?” He offers to meet Goliath in battle, and after some convincing, moves forward under the blessing of the Israelite king. The battle is quick: he hits Goliath with a stone fired from his sling, stunning or outright killing him, before decapitating Goliath with his own sword.
The Fight that Followed
At this point, the Israelites had won the issued challenge. However, the situation had not changed, and the Philistines are under no practical compulsion to be the servants of the Israelites. They lost a champion, but the combat power of the Philistine army was intact. Furthermore, their fortified position on a hill was still secure. There was no tactical or strategic reason for what happens next, yet:
“When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.”
In short, they were routed and slaughtered.
Symbols and Heroes Drive Us
So, why did an army break and run due to the loss of one man? Conversely, why was an army, who waited in fear for 40 days, suddenly able to slaughter their enemy?
The hope of each army was in their champion and what he represented: the power of their god. When the champion of Yahweh defeated the champion of Baal, it proved, to their minds, that the one was stronger than the other. At that point, the battle was seen as a foregone conclusion. Lacking hope and unity, the stronger army broke into a panic.
The militaries of today no longer use single combat to determine battles, but that does not mean we lack champions. We, as a collective army, no longer carry a symbol of our god into battle, but we do keep a symbol of our ideals on our shoulder at all times. We salute cloth as it travels by, devoting time, energy, and resources into ceremonies and days of honor. What practical purpose does Arlington Cemetery hold? Why do we hold such reverence for the fabric some men wear as medals?
I am not making the claim that flags, Arlington, or memorials are foolish ideas. Rather, they are as powerful as we make them. We must examine this reality and discuss it’s influence on the preparation, training, and fighting of units. Remember that the hero of this story comes forward because his god was being mocked. It drove him to action. We must deliberately use such things, while being cautious of the danger of such morale shocks to our formations. We must remain aware of the line between reality and symbolism, guiding training and unit culture appropriately. Finally, we must prepare our units to survive and achieve without the operationally unnecessary things that hold so much meaning. Symbols and heroes can drive men to fight in short bursts, but the will to win, despite all odds, must become ingrained if we are to win the next great conflict.
Here are some questions for discussion or personal reflection:
- How are symbols currently affecting your unit?
- Are there any events or practices that seem to have an outsized impact on your unit? Is there a difference in your unit after mail call, a hot meal, or hot showers?
- What kind of leader are you modeling to your subordinates? Are you a symbol of what the military should be?
- How is the morale of your Soldiers? What is affecting it? Are you taking actions to address their concerns?
- What are the basics you need in order to accomplish your duties? If you are reduced to the bare minimum, how will your unit perform?
- What do all of your subordinates seem to focus their attention on? Is there a way you can use that positively?
- How important is the morale of your subordinates to you? What impacts to your mission might you have to deal with?
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