Goliath ( ; Arabic: جالوت , Jalut (Muslim term), جليات Julyat (Christian term)), known also as Goliath of Gath (one of five city states of the Philistines), is the Philistine warrior, famous for his battle with the young David, the future king of Israel, described in the Hebrew Bible/Christian Old Testament and, more briefly, in the Quran.

There are significant differences between the earliest manuscripts of the story, dating from the last few centuries before Christ, and those of later centuries, with Goliath's height increasing from an original six and a half feet (200cm) to nine and a half feet (290cm), and David changing from a young man to a boy. The story may have originated in oral traditions about David – the name "Goliath" appears to be an authentic 10th century Philistine one – but Goliath's famous battle may originally have been with the obscure Elhanan, rather than with the great king of Jewish folklore, and the version preserved in the Book of Samuel shows clear parallels with Greek literature.

Post-Classical Jewish traditions stressed Goliath's status as the representative of paganism, in contrast to David, the champion of the God of Israel; Christian tradition gave him a distinctively Christian twist, seeing in the battle with David the Church's battle with Satan.

Summary: 1 Samuel 17

Saul and the Israelites are facing the Philistines at the Valley of Elah. Twice a day for forty days Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, comes out between the lines and challenges the Israelites to send out a champion of their own to decide the outcome in single combat, but Saul and all the Israelites are afraid. David is present, bringing food for his elder brothers. When told that Saul has promised to reward any man who will defeat the Philistine champion, David declares he is not afraid. Saul reluctantly agrees and offers his armour, which David declines in favour of his sling and five stones taken from a brook.

David and Goliath confront each other, Goliath with his armour and shield-bearer, David with his staff and sling, "and the Philistine cursed David by his gods." But David replies: "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that God saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is God's, and he will give you into our hand."

David then strikes Goliath in the head with a stone from his sling; the Philistine falls on his face to the ground. David takes his sword and cuts off Goliath's head. The shocked Philistines flee and are pursued by the Israelites "as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron". David puts the armour of Goliath in his own tent, and takes the head to Jerusalem. Saul sends Abner to bring David before him, and the king asks whose son he is. "And David answered, 'I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite'."