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The Israelites' old enemies, the
Philistines, now came to fight against them again. They pitched
their tents on a high mountain, and Saul and his army stood upon another
mountain opposite, and there was a valley between the two armies.
The Philistines had with them a very bold commander, a great giant, named
Goliath. He was very tall, and covered with thick armor; and he had
a great sword, and shield, and spear: and he stood, and cried to the
army of Israel, "Why do you come to fight against me? If you
can, choose a man, and let him come and fight me, and try to kill
me." The Israelites were much frightened when they heard the
proud Philistine speak thus, and Saul was frightened also. Jesse's
three eldest sons followed Saul to the battle, but David went home to keep
his father's sheep at Bethlehem. One day, Jesse called David, and
said, "Go now to the camp and see thy brothers, and ask if they are
well, and take them some corn, and ten loaves of bread; and carry these
ten cheeses to their captain." David obeyed; he asked a man to
keep his sheep while he was away, and went to the camp. When he came
near the army, he heard a great shout; the soldiers were just going to
begin the battle. Then David made haste, and ran to speak to his
brethren. While they were talking, the great giant came out of the
Philistine's army, and spoke as he had done before; and David heard
him. Then all the Israelites, when they saw Goliath, ran away for
fear. But David said, "Who is this Philistine who comes to
frighten God's people? What power has he to hurt us, if God is on
our side?" Then the eldest brother spoke very unkindly to
David, and said, "Why camest thou here? What hast thou done
with the few sheep in the wilderness? I know they pride, and the
naughtiness of thy heart; for thou art come down to see the
battle." But David answered gently, "What have I now
done? Is there not a cause?" Then
some of the people went to Saul, and told what David said; and Saul sent
for David. When David came to the king, he spoke very boldly, for
God made him bold, and he said, "Do not fear this great Philistine; I
am ready to go and fight him." But Saul said, "Thou hast
not power to conquer him; thou art young, and he is very strong, and has
been used to fighting all his life." David answered, "I am
a shepherd, and I keep my father's sheep in Bethlehem. One day, a
lion and a bear came to my flock, and took away a lamb, and I ran, and
killed the lion and the bear, and saved the lamb, and took it out of the
lion's mouth, and brought it back to the fold. It was God who gave
me strength to kill those great animals, and I know He will give me power
now to conquer this wicked Philistine. God is with us, and He will
deliver us from our enemies." Then Saul said, "Go, and the
Lord be with thee." Saul gave David all his armor, a helmet,
and a spear, and a sword. But David said, "No, I do not want
them." So he took them all off, and chose five smooth stones,
and put them into his shepherd's bag; and he took a sling, and a staff,
and went to meet the giant. Then the Philistine came out, but when
he saw David, he laughed at him, and said, "Canst thou conquer
me? Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the birds of the air,
and the beasts of the field!" But David answered, "Thou
comest to me with a sword, and a spear, and a shield; but I come to thee
in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. I know that thou art
very strong, and that I am weak, and unable of myself to fight thee; but
God is with me, and He is stronger than thou. He will give me power
to conquer and kill thee; for He can fight without swords and spears, for
the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands."
Then David ran to meet his great enemy. He took a stone, and put it
into his sling, and slang it; and the stone went into the forehead of the
giant, and he fell down on the ground. Then David ran to the
Philistine, and stood upon him, and took the sword of the giant, and slew
him, and cut off his head; for David had no sword of his own. Then
all the Philistines, when they saw that their commander was dead, fled;
and the Israelites followed, and killed very many of them. The
Israelites returned shouting for joy, and David took the giant's head, and
brought it to Jerusalem. How
could young David, without armor, conquer the great strong
Philistine? It was not David's strength, nor his sling, nor his
stone, that gained the victory; they had no power; it was David's God who
conquered, and He alone. David looked in faith to God for help, and
He gave him the victory. We have enemies to fight too; not great
soldiers like Goliath, but enemies who fight against our souls. We
must fight in God's strength, not in our own. We must ask God to
fight for us, and then we shall be enabled to conquer, and gain the
victory.
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