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- "representative" warfare:
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- "The exciting story of David and Goliath is an excellent example of an attempt at representative warfare effected by means of a contest of champions. The purpose of such contests was 'to obviate the necessity of a general engagement of troops which would spill more blood than necessary to resolve the dispute' (Harry A. Hoffner, Jr., "A Hittite Analogue to the David and Goliath Contest of Champions?" CBQ 30 [1968]: 220). . . . Contests of champions such as that between David and Goliath or between Menelaus and Paris (Homer Iliad bk. 3) were not uncommon in ancient times." (Ronald F. Youngblood, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 3, © 1992 Zondervan, p. 693)