David had been anointed by Samuel as the next king of Israel. He had gone to live with King Saul to play his harp whenever the evil spirit troubled him, and he was learning to be Saul's armor bearer.
I Samuel 17:1-2- Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
Not everything can remain peaceful. The Philistines were still in the land of Canaan, and they were still stirring up trouble. They had gathered themselves together to fight against King Saul and his army.
I Samuel 17:3-7- And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
The Philistines had come up with a plan. You see, they had a Champion fighter- a giant that was so tall and strong that they were sure he could defeat anyone!
I Samuel 17:8-10- And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, 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.
The Champion came out and made a proposal. Only two people would fight instead of both armies. Whoever won out of those two people would be considered the winner of the war. The loser's army would then become servants to the winner.
I Samuel 17:11- When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
No one wanted to fight the giant! They were all afraid! They had grown up hearing the stories about how God had overthrown the armies of Pharaoh in the Red Sea after allowing the children of Israel to cross on dry ground. The were told how God helped Joshua to defeat his enemies while holding the sun and the moon still in the sky. The bed time tales of Gideon's army of 300 men and the battle that a woman won. But, none of them had enough faith to believe that God could help them overcome one giant.
The king was the one who was suppose to accept this challenge. Remember, Saul was head and shoulders taller than all the other people in all of Israel. He was the tallest man and the leader of the armies! But, he had turned his back on the Lord long ago and he wouldn't humble himself to ask God for His help.
I Samuel 17:12-15- Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
David had gone back to his father's house to take care of the sheep while his three oldest brothers went with Saul to battle the Philistines.
I Samuel 17:16-19- And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge. Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
The battle had been going on for 40 days now and Jesse wanted to know how his other sons were doing. He packed up some provisions and asked David to take them to the place where his brothers were and find out how they were doing.
One thing I notice about the people God likes to use is that most of them were obedient to their parents. Jesus, himself, submitted to his parents and obeyed them. When a child learns to listen and obey their parents, they learn to listen to and obey God.
I Samuel 17:20-24- And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
No sooner did David start talking with his brothers finding out how they were than the Champion of the Philistines came out and began his usual challenge.
David looked about and watched as what was suppose to be the mighty army of the Lord ran to hide.
I Samuel 17:25-27- And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, 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? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
David heard the soldiers talking about the giant and the challenge. He heard how the king had promised a great reward and great honor to the person who would accept this challenge and win.
David felt the Spirit of God on him as he talked with these soldiers. He knew that Goliath may be a champion of his people, but that God was the one who decided who would win the battle.
As David talked to the soldiers about this, his brother was getting angry. Perhaps his brother felt guilty that he didn't have the courage to accept this challenge. Or, perhaps he was bitter about his younger brother being chosen by God as the next king. We don't know why!
I Samuel 17:28-30- 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. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
Well, this questioning got people talking.
I Samuel 17:31- And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.
David went before King Saul and told the king that he would be willing to fight Goliath.
I Samuel 17:32- And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
King Saul tried to reason with David. He knew that this Champion had years of experience when it came to battle. David was still a young man. How could a shepherd boy who looks after sheep take on a giant with years of killing under his belt?
I Samuel 17:33-36- 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. 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: 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. 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.
David may not have been in wars, but he had fought battles. He had fought a lion and a bear. How many kids do you know that have taken on a lion and a bear and killed them both?
David learned something while keeping the sheep. He learned that no matter how big or scary the enemy God was always there to help him. David looked at this giant as another enemy that God could help him defeat.
I Samuel 17:37- 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.
King Saul said that David could go. It had been 40 days and none of his soldiers had the courage to take up the giant's challenge! But, Saul wanted it to look like he was the brave one.
I Samuel 17:38-39- 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. 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.
Saul dressed David in his own armor. From a distance, no one would know who it was that was really out there. The only tell tale sign would be whose armor it was.
But, David had never fought in armor. He didn't know that this armor would be a help to him. He knew that he needed to trust in God and not in fancy weapons. He knew he had to go in the strength of the Lord with the weapons that God had taught him to use.
I Samuel 17:40- 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.
Why do you think David got 5 stones? Do you think he thought he might miss? No. He was getting ready for the battle. You see, Goliath had brothers- 4 of them. David was getting ready in case he needed to fight them all.
I Chronicles 20:4-8- And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued. And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's beam. And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant. But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's brother slew him. These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
In time, David's men would kill all of the brothers of Goliath. This was going to be the battle that starts David and his men on the path to defeating the Philistines once and for all.
I Samuel 17:41-44- And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. 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. 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. 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.
When Goliath saw this little boy coming to fight him he was upset. He wondered why they would send a child out instead of a hardened soldier. He cursed David by his false gods and told David that he would kill him and feed him to wild animals.
But, this didn't even phase David. He knew that Goliath's false gods were no match for the God of Israel!
I Samuel 17:45-47- 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. 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. 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.
David told the giant that the battle belonged to the God of creation. He said it would be the giant that the wild animals ate.
This made Goliath mad. He stood up and didn't even grab his helmet. He came after David without even getting his shield from his armor bearer. His anger left him open and unprotected.
I Samuel 17:48-49- 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. 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.
Goliath's haste allowed David to have an open target. God guided the stone that David slung and it hit the mark with such force that it sank into Goliath's skull. He fell down dead.
I Samuel 17:50-51- 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. 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.
David wanted everyone to know for certain that the Philistine champion was dead. He ran up to the body, took Goliath's own sword, and cut off the giant's head. There was no argument now! Everyone knew that a young boy had defeated the giant.
The Philistine army ran away terrified! If a small shepherd boy could defeat a war hero giant, what could the entire army of Israel do to them?
This fleeing gave the Israelite army the courage to go after the Philistines.
I Samuel 17:52-54- 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. And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.
The Lord helped the Israelites to have a great victory that day. David kept the sword of Goliath. We find out later that he put it in the tabernacle of the Lord. He took the giant's armor as a trophy, and brought the giant's head to Jerusalem.
Saul didn't know who David was. The Bible says that Saul had David around playing the harp when the evil spirit was troubling him. It says that David also was Saul's armor bearer. So, why didn't Saul know who he was?
I Samuel 17:55-56- 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. And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.
Not only did the king not know who David was, but neither did the captain of the army. David was called wise and brave, but the leaders of Israel didn't care to pay attention to a child. Well, this got their attention!
They called David a stripling. That is a middle English word means a young boy or man that doesn't have to shave yet. The King James Translators used this word to show us how young David was when he fought the giant. He was probably no older than 16, and quite possibly younger.
I Samuel 17:57-58- 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. 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.
Saul may not have known who David was, but the people of Jerusalem did. And they showered David with song of praise when he returned from the battle. But, this didn't make King Saul happy. In fact, it made him jealous.
I Samuel 18:6-9- And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
