Bible Dictionary
Champion
A champion was a warrior who represented his army in single combat. Goliath is called the champion who stood between the opposing camps.
Definition
A champion was a warrior who stood between two opposing armies and represented one side in single combat. In another passage the same English word means a mighty man.
Biblical Usage
Goliath is called the champion because he stood between the two Israelite and Philistine camps. His position represented the ancient practice of single combat between champions at the head of armies.
Historical Background
The underlying expression literally means “the man of the two” or “the man of the space between,” possibly referring to the valley or brook separating the armies.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(1 Sam. 17:4, 23), properly “the man between the two,” denoting the position of Goliath between the two camps. Single combats of this kind at the head of armies were common in ancient times. In ver. 51 this word is the rendering of a different Hebrew word, and properly denotes “a mighty man.”
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>cham'-pi-un ('ish habenayim): In 1Sa 17:4,23 this unusual expression occurs in the description of Goliath. It means literally "the man of the two spaces," "spaces," or "space between," and is perhaps to be explained by the fact that there was a brook flowing through the valley separating the two armies. In 1Sa 17:51 the word champion is the rendering of the Hebrew gibbor, "mighty man."</p>