Was Goliath Stricken with Acromegaly?

[Godlovesmetwo]

Mine is a very special time of life when your age and IQ pass each over moving in opposite directions.

I'll reuse that joke on here, when you're not looking.

 

[JackRT]

I'll reuse that joke on here, when you're not looking.

Joke???

 

[Blackmarch]

Most people who read the Bible don't consider Goliath, the unusually tall man that David killed as a man who was suffering from any illness. However, some have conjectured that he was actually stricken by acromegaly, a condition involving a brain tumor on the pituitary gland which provokes an excess production of growth hormone. I recently suggested this possibility on another discussion after having provided a links to a list of unusually tall people, some of whom had reached 8 feet 8 inches in height and was told that such a thing in reference to Goliath is far more unlikely than the possibility of abiogenesis. That struck me as rather strange. What is your opinion?



The following article examines the pros and cons in this interpretation.
Slaying a biblically bad idea

If it is accurate that he was 9 foot something, then i would argue more for a rare happy occurance of multiple beneficial mutations. He was portrayed as a warrior and thought to be among the strongest of the strong. Just having all the body organs increased in size without changing or adding any other variable, is problematic.

However on the other hand andre the giant had a career the ring before his giantism killed him, there might have been a short window in goliaths life where the body was fit enough for war.

 

[Radrook]

If it is accurate that he was 9 foot something, then i would argue more for a rare happy occurance of multiple beneficial mutations. He was portrayed as a warrior and thought to be among the strongest of the strong. Just having all the body organs increased in size without changing or adding any other variable, is problematic.

However on the other hand andre the giant had a career the ring before his giantism killed him, there might have been a short window in goliaths life where the body was fit enough for war.

Curiously the unusual height seems to be described as genetic since his brother is also described as of large size as well as the people from whom he was descended.

1 Chronicles 20:6
5And there was war with the Philistines again, and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. 6Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature who had twenty-four fingers and toes, six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot; and he also was descended from the giants. 7When he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him.…

Samuel 21:16
Then Ishbi-benob, who was among the descendants of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of bronze in weight, was girded with a new sword, and he intended to kill David.

Chronicles 20:5
And there was war with the Philistines again, and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

So it seems as if we aren’t talking of a single anomaly but of a tribal characteristic of which Goliath was an outstanding example above the norm. That would explain why he is the only one whose height is specifically provided while others are just described as tall.

 

[Blackmarch]

No chance. What you are missing is that mass goes up as the cube of a change in height whilst strength only rises as the square. At 9 feet tall a human would not be strong enough to overcome their mass and move in a coordinated fashion, let alone fight. That does not figure in all the problems with the heart, circulation, gas exchange in the lungs, nerve transmission etc.

Note: Andre the Giant was 7'4" and was athletic enough to be a "wrestling" entertainer.

the question is not the doubling size cubes the mass, but rather the absolute limits of human muscle and bone, as well as acceptable negative effects and losses. Hence the mutation question.

 

[Blackmarch]

Probably more so with the arms rather than the legs.
Nature deals with adapting to the laws of physics not changing the laws of physics.
Ive yet to see a small lobster move elegantly in air. Let alone move much....

 

[Radrook]

Being the size of Andre the Giant isn't a death sentence or a guarantee that one is clumsy.

Andre Giant Sized Basketball players and taller ones who weren't ill, weren't clumsy and didn’t die

Yau Ming's best moves

This one might not have been the epitome of agility, but if you gave him a shield and a spear I see no reason to imagine him falling on his face.

 

[Radrook]

Being the size of Andre the Giant isn't a death sentence or a guarantee that one is clumsy.

Andre Giant Sized Basketball players and taller ones who weren't ill, weren't clumsy and didn’t die

Yau Ming's best moves

This one might not have been the epitome of agility, but if you gave him a shield and a spear I see to reason to think that he would have fallen on his face.

BTW
Funny how mutations are the panacea when it comes to supporting anti God explanations but are vehemently rejected if anyone attempts to use just one to explain the unusual size of a biblical character. So glaring that it blinds! LOL!

Example Post #20
PROOFS OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

 

[Radrook]

If it is accurate that he was 9 foot something, then i would argue more for a rare happy occurance of multiple beneficial mutations. He was portrayed as a warrior and thought to be among the strongest of the strong. Just having all the body organs increased in size without changing or adding any other variable, is problematic.

However on the other hand andre the giant had a career the ring before his giantism killed him, there might have been a short window in goliaths life where the body was fit enough for war.

Absolutely, and why not? After all, atheist evolutionists appeal to extremely improbable albeit very joyously happy guffawing mutations all the time in order to explain far more extraordinary manifestations in nature than just a man who reaches 9 feet in height. That makes your mutation appeal just slightly jovial and chuckling in comparison.

 

[AV1611VET]

Most people who read the Bible don't consider Goliath, the unusually tall man that David killed as a man who was suffering from any illness. However, some have conjectured that he was actually stricken by acromegaly, a condition involving a brain tumor on the pituitary gland which provokes an excess production of growth hormone.

I doubt it, since Goliath had four brothers of equal stature.

2 Samuel 21:15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
16 And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.
19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.
21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.
22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

 

[Radrook]

I doubt it, since Goliath had four brothers of equal stature.

2 Samuel 21:15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.
16 And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.
17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.
19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.
20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.
21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.
22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Thanks for the scriptures:
Accepting the Bible's word over unbelieving, hyper-skeptical human opinion which is very often motivated by Satanically endorsed, anti-biblical agendas is indeed the wise thing to do.

 

[JackRT]

On the testimony of 2 Samuel 21:15-22, these giant men were no match for a skilled warrior of normal stature. Impressive but slow and clumsy??

 

[AV1611VET]

On the testimony of 2 Samuel 21:15-22, these giant men were no match for a skilled warrior of normal stature. Impressive but slow and clumsy??

Is that why they called him a champion?

1 Samuel 17:4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

 

[JackRT]

You apparently don't know the meaning of the word "champion" as used in this context --- "one who fights on behalf of another or others". It was sometimes the practice that rather than engaging two opposing armies, a "champion" was chosen from each army to engage in single combat to decide the outcome.

 

[Radrook]

Is that why they called him a champion?

1 Samuel 17:4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

 

[AV1611VET]

You apparently don't know the meaning of the word "champion" as used in this context --- "one who fights on behalf of another or others". It was sometimes the practice that rather than engaging two opposing armies, a "champion" was chosen from each army to engage in single combat to decide the outcome.

So they chose ... as you put it ... one who was no match for a skilled warrior of normal stature. Impressive but slow and clumsy??

 

[AV1611VET]

Likely they'd trotted this chap out in the past and terrorized those who knew no physics into surrender. David's solution was to dishonorably reject the single combat that was undoubtedly called for and take the pantywaist way out. History (and fables) are written by the victors.

 

[JackRT]

Likely they'd trotted this chap out in the past and terrorized those who knew no physics into surrender. David's solution was to dishonorably reject the single combat that was undoubtedly called for and take the pantywaist way out. History (and fables) are written by the victors.

And alternative histories and fables are written by the losers.

 

[AV1611VET]

Really, childish cartoons for an answer?

That's right ... childish cartoons.

Any child should be able to look a scientist in the eyes and tell him he's wrong.

 

[AV1611VET]

I am ignoring content by AV1611VET.

Because I gave you what you asked for?