I Samuel 17:49: “And David put his hand into his bag, and took thence a stone and slang (it) and smote the Philistine in his forehead that the stone sunk into his forehead and he fell upon his face to the earth.”
Original Hebrew had no vowels. The vav was sometimes used for “u” and yod used for “I or “e” but we could not be certain if the vav and yod should be a consonant or a vowel. Also there was no separation between words. Only oral tradition tells us where to separate the words and when to use the vav and yod as a vowel.
I Samuel 17:49 traditionally transliterated.
Uislchdudiduiduatheklialuiqchmshmabnuiqlouikephlshthimizchualuthtboeabnbmtzchuuiphalphnovalaktze
I Samuel 17:49 with word separation determined by the Masoretes using oral tradition.
Uislch dud iduath eklial uiqch mshm aban uiqlo uik ephlshthi mizchual uthtbo eabn bemtzchu uiphal phnoval aktze
Uislch (he is putting forth) dud (David) iduath (his hand) eklial (to his wallet or his clapping) uiqch (he is taking or powerful words) mshm (from there? Or from name?) abn (stone or power) uiqlo (he is slinging or he is casting out or speaking out) uik (he is smiting or he is slandering) ephlshthi (Philistine) Mizchual (to his forehead or to his mockery) uthtbo (it is sinking, or penetrating) eabn (stone or power) bmtzchu (in his forehead or with his mockery) uiphal (he is falling) phnovol (on his face) aktze (earthward)
Rabbi Sanders, Torah stories receive an interpretation thousands of years ago and that interpretation becomes so fixed that one is threatened with excommunication if he attempts to offer another interpretation.
Many rabbis questions the Masoretes separation of words and letters. Even the Masoretes admitted that they were offering just one interpretation. It is Christians who have given such authority to the Masoretes that even they felt they did not deserve. Christians want a Hebrew to be an exact science like Greek, which it is not.
Because there was no separation of letters dividing words, it is very difficult to determine the root of a word. We depend heavily upon Oral Tradition and Masoretes to tell us what the root word is, but Oral Tradition and the Masoretes are not inspired.
Perhaps God intended the Hebrew to be so vague to allow mulitple interpretations – 70 Faces of Torah, Talmud teaches that there are 70 interpretations for every verse.
Alternative rendering: “And from the name David made words with force (power) and clapped his hands, and sent the powerful words to the mockery of the Philisitine slandering it and he threw or cast off the power or strength (of the words) upon him. The power penetrated (overcame) his mockery and he fell to the earth.
Two possible interpretations – either David slung a stone into Goliath’s forehead and killed him or he clapped his hands and uttered the Name of God.
Why did he cut off Goliath’s head?
Why did he choose five stones? (Goliath having four brothers is bogus and an invention by tradition to explain the reason for five stones).
Why did Saul risk the whole kingdom on some kid telling stories of killing lions and bears?
What did the Israelite soldiers shout – was it God’s name?
Why did the Philistines run in panic? (A pagan mind would consider David popping Goliath in the forehead a luck shot and would attack).
The Philistines heard stories of God’s power just as in the case of the people of Jericho and the Midianites with Gideon.
Gideon invoked the name of God and the Midianites were destroyed.
Jehosaphat also invoked God’s name and the 3 kings armies were destroyed.
Psalms 118:10 – David would destroy the nations with a “word.”
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