David and Goliath, Samuel I Chapter 17 discussed

This is a recap of the story of David and Goliath, in Samuel I Chapter 17.

The story begins at a time when Samuel had made Saul king pf Israel. By this time, the Philistines and Israel had many clashes as Israel and the Philistines were frequently at war during the time of the Judges and Samuel. After an initial defeat where 4,000 men died, the elders of Israel brought the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh to the battlefield at Ebenezer, hoping it would save them. However, Israel was defeated again, this time 30,000 men were killed, and the Philistines captured the Ark. The Ark caused disasters and tumors in Philistine cities as the Philistine’s were plagued. As a result, the Philistines return the Ark it to Israel. Samuel rallied Israel to put away their idols. G-d thundered against the Philistines, and Israel defeat the Philistines.

Now back to the story of David and Goliath.

The valley of Elah is approximately 45 minutes southwest of Jerusalem. The Philistines assembled their forces at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim. King Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with a valley between them. Battle time was near.

A champion named Goliath came out of the Philistine camp. He was giant, six cubits and a span tall, approximately 9 feet 9 inches tall. Goliath was from the Philistine city of Gath where some of their citizens were giants. Goliath was dressed for battle, a bronze helmet, a bronze coat, legs covered in bronze and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. He challenged the Israelites to combat to decide the battle.

Goliath shouted to the ranks of Israel why do you come out and line up for battle? Choose a man to fight me. If he kills me, we will become your slaves; but if I kill him, you will become our slaves. For forty days Goliath taunted the Israelites every morning and every evening.

David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who had eight sons. David was the youngest. He tended his father’s sheep, protecting them from predators like lions and bears.

Jesse told his son David to take ephah, bread and cheese to the commander of the unit that are in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines. So, David visited the battlefield to bring food to his brothers. Davids left off his supplies with the keeper and went to the battle lines to see how his brother were doing.

It was at this time that Goliath stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance. David heard it and watched as the Israelites ran from Goliath in fear.

The Israelites told David that the king will give great wealth to the man who kills him give the giant; the king will give him his daughter to marry and he won’t ever need to pay taxes.

David asked, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

David’s oldest brother heard him speaking with the men and was angry. He hurled accusation against David, why did you come down here? Who did you leave the sheep with? Did you come to watch the battle? David was aghast and said, “Can’t I even speak?”

Someone heard this exchange and sent for Saul. David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”

But Saul implored for David not to fight Goliath. But David replied that he is a shepherd. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, he would rescue the sheep and kill the lion or bear.

David then said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

Saul proceeded to try and dress David in a breastplate and a bronze helmet, but David wanted no part of wearing the armor. David simply took his stick, a few stones which he put in his shepherd’s bag and his sling and off he want to face the giant Philistine.

David and Goliath

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1931.

When Goliath saw David approach, and realized he was a boy, he yelled “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” He then cried out that he would feed David to the wild animals.

David replied to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.”

As the two men approached one another, David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and with his sling, shot the stone straight into the giant’s forehead. Goliath dropped to the ground. Without a sword and just his sling and a stone, David took down the mighty Philistine. David ran over to Goliath and cut off his head with the giant’s own sword.

“When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.” The men of Israel chased down the Philistines at Gath and the gates of Ekron, killed them, then looted their camp.

^““David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; and he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.”

King Saul asked the commander of the army, a man named Abner, who is the young man? Abner said he did not know then brought David to the king. David approached, still holding the Philistine’s head.

“Whose son are you, my boy?” Saul asked him.

David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

So, in the end of the chapter, we learn that David told Goliath he came in the name of the Lord. With his sling and a stone, David took down the giant Goliath ind then used Goliath's own sword to cut off his head. It was David’s faith and his trust in God that enabled him to show courage, not fear.