In 2019, Rene Schlaepfer and I drove to the Ella Valley. Rene was producing a whole series about David, and also got to film in the City of David. At the battle site, we tried our skills in operating a sling, and then drove up to Azeqah and reviewed the battle.
The Reality Behind the Battle
Although the Book of Samuel presents the battle in detail, many aspects of the battle are still not clear. It is not totally clear where every army camped, and where exactly the battle took place. However, it had to take place somewhere along the brook of the Ellah stream, as pebbles are mentioned in the story.
Furthermore, in another Biblical passage, it states that Elhanan was the one to slay Goliath, not David (2 Sam. 21:19). It seems that the story was written centuries after the event took place, and that is why some basic parts of it are not clear. One thing is clear – the battle made David famous, and eventually led him to the throne.
Touring the Ellah Valley
