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Goliath proposed ''single combat'' as a settlement of a battle that would otherwise have been difficult for either side to fight and win. In the era in which Goliath lived, fought, and died, single combat was in essence a trial of one nation's gods against another. Whoever won the combat would demonstrate the favor of the gods for his side against the other side.

Goliath proposed ''single combat'' as a settlement of a battle that would otherwise have been difficult for either side to fight and win. In the era in which Goliath lived, fought, and died, single combat was in essence a trial of one nation's gods against another. Whoever won the combat would demonstrate the favor of the gods for his side against the other side.

Thus single combat, in this context, is yet another method by which a general sought to "divine" the outcome of battle in advance. In a similar vein, the [[Rome|Roman]] army, centuries later, developed the custom of consulting the ''auspex'' (plural, ''auspices'', whence "auspicious"), a specialized [[augur]] who observed the vigor (or lack thereof) with which two chickens, suddenly released from its cage, would eat two honey cakes placed before them. Single combat also appears in medieval times in the ritual of ''trial by combat'', in which one accused of a crime would defend his innocence (or get someone else to defend it) by physical combat against the king's chosen champion.<ref>Wolfe, Tom. ''The Right Stuff'', reprint ed. Bantam Books, 2001. ISBN 0553381350. Contains a brief passage discussing single combat in the ancient context, as a metaphor for the high esteem in which the [[United States]] and its people held the first seven [[astronaut]]s.</ref>

Thus single combat, in this context, is yet another method by which a general sought to "divine" the outcome of battle in advance. In a similar vein, the [[Rome|Roman]] army, centuries later, developed the custom of consulting the ''auspex'' (plural, ''auspices'', whence "auspicious"), a specialized [[augur]] who observed the vigor (or lack thereof) with which two chickens, suddenly released from their cage, would eat two honey cakes placed before them. Single combat also appears in medieval times in the ritual of ''trial by combat'', in which one accused of a crime would defend his innocence (or get someone else to defend it) by physical combat against the king's chosen champion.<ref>Wolfe, Tom. ''The Right Stuff'', reprint ed. Bantam Books, 2001. ISBN 0553381350. Contains a brief passage discussing single combat in the ancient context, as a metaphor for the high esteem in which the [[United States]] and its people held the first seven [[astronaut]]s.</ref>

At least one modern [[television]] producer has engaged in totally vain speculation according to which [[Joab]], Saul's ranking general, sought to disable the Philistines' chariots and then mount a major offensive with the entire army, and saw David's brash proposal to accept Goliath's challenge as a welcome diversion. The Bible gives absolutely no warrant for this, and again, such speculation completely ignores the faith that ancient generals in that era placed in single combat ''per se''.

At least one modern [[television]] producer has engaged in totally vain speculation according to which [[Joab]], Saul's ranking general, sought to disable the Philistines' chariots and then mount a major offensive with the entire army, and saw David's brash proposal to accept Goliath's challenge as a welcome diversion. The Bible gives absolutely no warrant for this, and again, such speculation completely ignores the faith that ancient generals in that era placed in single combat ''per se''.