| I Samuel 17:7
| And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred sicles of iron: and his armour-bearer went before him.
| Beam, which was of a very different construction from ours. Hostius concludes, that all the armour of Goliath must have weighed 272 pounds and 13 ounces, including the buckler and spear which his armour-bearer carried before him. Plutarch allows a talent, or 60 pounds, for the usual weight of a soldier's armour. Alcimus was remarked in the army of Demetrius, for having double that weight. --- Bearer. Hebrew, "one bearing a shield," or whose office it was to carry it, or any other part of the armour, when required. It would appear singular that the giant should have two bucklers, though David seems to specify two sorts, Psalm 34:2. This attendant might carry a large one, which would cover most part of the body, and was of service when a person had not to remove far from his place in battle. The buckler of Ajax was like a tower, and consisted of seven hides, covered with a plate of brass. (Homer, Iliad Z) (Calmet)
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