Many years ago, the Philistines and the Israelites were going to fight each other in a war. The Philistines were on one mountain and the Israelites were on another mountain. The valley of E'-lah was in between them.
The Israelites were God's choosen people, but the Philistines had a secret weapon--his name was Goliath. Goliath was the champion of the Philistines. He was a man who was 9 feet tall! Goliath's coat weighed 150 pounds, he wore brass on his legs for protection and had a spear with a tip that weighed 20 pounds. Only a very strong man could fight with such heavy armour and weaponry.
Because he was such a huge, fearsome man, Goliath was very bold. He stood on the mountain across from the Israelites and cried to the armies of Israel saying, "Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us." And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. " When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. Goliath kept saying this every morning and every evening for forty days.
King Saul and the rest of the Israelites were scared. No one wanted to fight Goliath by himself! Even King Saul, the King of Israel, was sore afraid and dismayed. What were they going to do?
Now at this time, there was a man named Jesse who had eight sons. His three oldest sons were in King Saul's army. His youngest son, David, lived with his father Jesse and tended the sheep. David was a young shepherd with ruddy cheeks and a comely appearance.
One day Jesse told David to go the army camp where his brothers were and give them some roasted corn and ten loaves of bread. He also told him to give ten cheeses to their captain. Jesse wanted to find out how David's brothers were doing.
So David got up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and went to the valley of Elah as his father had commanded him. When he got there, the Philistines and the Israelites were about to fight. David got out of his carriage and the man who was driving stayed with the carriage. David ran to the Israelite army and saluted his brothers. As he talked with them, Goliath cried to the armies of Israel again daring someone to fight with him. David heard him. All the soldiers got really scared and fled away running as fast as they could. What a sight that must have been!
After things had settled down, the soldiers explained the situation to David. They told David that the man who cried was named Goliath. They told David that Goliath was is defying Israel. They told David that if any man would kill Goliath, King Saul would give him great riches and would give the man his daughter to marry and would make that man's family free in Israel.
David had a question--...What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? (1 Samuel 17:26)
27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.
32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.
42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.
48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.
53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.
54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.
55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
56 And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.
57 And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.
Did you know that the God of David can be your God? God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for your sins. If you will admit that you are a sinner and believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, David's God will be your God. You will become a Christian and you will have the power of God on your side.
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