DAVID AND GOLIATH

NOTE. Much of the following selection is in the familiar words of 1 Samuel xvii. Only such liberties have been taken with the text as will serve to bring out the dramatic unity and simplicity of the narrative.

Many hundred years ago there lived in a far Eastern country a boy whose name whose name was David. He was the 5 youngest of eight brothers, a strong, brave lad, fairhaired, ruddy-cheeked, and good to look upon. It was his work to take care of his father's sheep, and all day long he wandered about with his flocks, finding green fields and clear springs of water for them, and protecting them 10 from wild beasts and other dangers. Many a night, also, did he spend beside his sheep on some grassy hillside. The climate was warm and pleasant, and to live out of doors was in itself no hardship.

Now it happened that war broke out in that country 15 between the tribes of Israel and their old enemies, the Philistines, and among those who followed the king of Israel to battle were three of David's elder brothers. After a time their father longed to hear from his sons and to be assured that they were alive and well. So he called 20 David to him and said: "Take now an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to thy brothers' camp. And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and see how thy brothers fare."

So David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper, and went as his father had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the host was going forth to the fight. For Israel and the Philistines had 5 put the battle in array, army against army.

David left the cheeses and the corn and the loaves with the keeper of the baggage, and ran into the ranks to salute his brothers. As he talked with them there came out from the camp of the Philistines a huge soldier, armed 10 with a coat of mail, and with a helmet of brass upon his head. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. 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 15 a shield went before him. And the giant cried in a loud voice unto the armies of Israel: "Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, 20 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."

Then David said unto the men who stood by him: “Who is this Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the 25 living God?"

And the men of Israel said: “He is Goliath of Gath, the champion of the Philistines. For forty days, morning and evening, he has come forth and defied us."

And David said, "What shall be done to the man who will kill this Philistine and take away the reproach from Israel?" 5 And those who stood near him said, "Surely the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and will make his father's house free in Israel."

Then they told Saul what David had said, and the king sent for him. And David said to Saul: "Let no man fear 10 because of him. I will go and fight with this Philistine."

And Saul said to David, "Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a lad, and he a man of war from his youth."

And David said unto Saul: "Thy servant kept his 15 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 20 the bear: and this Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 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."

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And Saul said unto David, "Go, and the Lord be with thee."

And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a 5 coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armor,

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. And he took his staff in 10 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 the sling was in his hand and he drew near to the Philistine.

And the Philistine came on, and drew near unto David; 15 and the man that bare the shield went before him. And

when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him and said unto him: "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field."

20 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 my hand; and I will smite thee, 25 and take thine head from thee. 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."

And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, 5

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 the forehead, so that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

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

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