For forty days the host of Israel had trembled before the haughty challenge of the Philistine giant. Their hearts failed within them as they looked upon his massive form, in height measuring six cubits and a span. Upon his head was a helmet of brass, he was clothed with a coat of mail that weighed five thousand shekels, and he had greaves of brass upon his legs. The coat was made of plates of brass that overlaid one another, like the scales of a fish, and they were so closely joined that no dart or arrow could possibly penetrate the armor. At his back the giant bore a huge javelin, or lance, also of brass. "The staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and one bearing a shield went before him."

Den hovmodige filisterkæmpe havde fået Israels hær til at skælve i fyrre dage med sin udfordring. De blev grebet af frygt, når de så på hans vældige skikkelse, der var seks alen og et spand høj. Han havde en kobberhjelm på hovedet, var iført en skælbrynje, som vejede 5000 sekel, og havde kobberskinner på benene. Skælbrynjen var lavet af kobberplader, der var anbragt over hinanden ligesom skællene på en fisk, og de sad så tæt, at det var umuligt at skyde igennem rustningen med en pil. På ryggen bar kæmpen et vældigt spyd, som også var af kobber. "Hans spydstage var som en væverbom, og hans spydsod var af jern og vejede 600 sekel; hans skjolddrager gik foran ham."