DAVID AND GOLIATH

 

 

 

 

 

As a shepherd, it was David's job to protect his sheep from attacks by wolves. He used a slingshot to do this. The slingshot was a patch of leather or cloth that had two braided cords on each end. The shepherd would place a smooth pebble in the patch and twirl the slingshot around his head. When he let go of one of the cords, the pebble would fly through the air like a deadly bullet. David probably developed a strong arm and a good eye using his slingshot to kill the wild animals that attacked his flocks.

When the Philistines again attacked Israel, Jesse's three oldest sons were old enough to fight in King Saul's army. Like any father, Jesse worried about them. Were they all right? Were they getting enough to eat? One day Jesse got word that the army was camped nearby. He packed some food and asked his youngest son, David, to deliver it to his brothers.

The shepherd boy traveled to the camp and learned that his brothers were out on the battlefield. He went to talk to them and saw for the first time the giant Philistine warrior Goliath.

For forty days, the Philistine giant Goliath challenged the men of Israel: "I dare you feeble warriors! Send out a man to fight with me! I say that the one who loses will hand over his people to become slaves."

 

Goliath stood 9 feet, 4 inches tall. He wore a suit of armor that weighed 125 pounds, and carried two spears. Not one man among the Israelites would meet him in single combat. But when David arrived with food for his brothers, he could not understand the soldiers' fear. "Why does Goliath think he can speak against the army of the living God? He is no more dangerous than the wild animals which attack my father's sheep. I will fight him, and the Lord will surely be with me.

When King Saul saw that David was determined, he put his own armor on the boy and gave him his sword. But David was not used to these things. He went out to meet Goliath carrying only his own slingshot and five smooth stones he had picked up from a riverbed.

Goliath roared when he saw the shepherd boy. "Come, child! I will feed your body to the birds and the beasts!" The insults were still pouring from Goliath's mouth '5 when the first stone smashed into his forehead. Goliath fell face down and David rushed up, seized the giant's sword and cut off his head.

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