stone.
“There are said to be three other giants of Gath among the Philistine ranks.”
David picked up three more stones, added them to his shepherd’s bag. “Is there anything else I need to know?”
Jonathan felt an assurance he hadn’t felt since Micmash. “God is with you!”
David bowed low, and then walked toward the valley floor.
Jonathan ran back up the hill to stand with his father and watch.
Saul stood, shoulders slumped, dejected. “I have sent that boy out there to die.”
“Let’s watch and see what the Lord will do.”
The Hebrew warriors moved to stand in battle array, murmuring as David walked down into the valley with nothing but his sling, a pouch of five smooth stones, and his shepherd’s staff.
A commotion started in the line as David’s relatives saw him striding down the hill. “What’s he doing? Get out of there!” The officers ordered silence.
Jonathan looked down into the valley again. He prayed fervently. “God, be with him as You were with me at Micmash. Let all Israel see what the Lord can do!”
Goliath and his armor bearer advanced, shouting in disgust. “Am I a dog, that you come at me with a stick? May Dagon curse you!” The Philistine spat curses by all the gods of Philistia on the boy and all Israel while the Philistine warriors laughed and banged their shields.
Jonathan clenched his hand.
“Come over here, boy!” Goliath sneered. “I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!”
“We come to this!” Abner groaned.
Jonathan waited and watched, praying as David stood straight and faced their enemy, his youthful voice carrying. “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”
Goliath roared with laughter, the Philistine warriors joining him.
David walked forward. “Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! ”
David put a stone in his sling and ran toward Goliath.
Jonathan stepped forward. Could he hear the whir of the shepherd’s sling? Or was it his own pulse that hummed in his ears, his heart pounding with every step David took? The boy’s arm shot out and the sling dropped in his hand.
Goliath staggered back, a stone embedded in his forehead. Blood gushed down his face. He spread his feet, trying to keep his balance. Then he toppled like a tree.
Both armies stood in stunned silence. Goliath’s armor bearer fled from David, who raised Goliath’s sword and, with a shout, brought it down. Grabbing Goliath’s severed head by the hair, the shepherd boy held it up for all to see. “For the Lord!”
Exultant, Jonathan drew his sword and held it high, answering. “For the Lord and Israel!”
Fear vanquished, King Saul and Jonathan led the charge, and once more the mighty Philistines fled in terror before the army of the Lord.
When the battle was won, Jonathan searched for David. “Where is he?”
Saul shook his head. “I don’t know. When Abner brought him to me, the boy was still holding Goliath’s head! But he’s gone.”
“His name is David, Father. He is the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem.”
“I know. The same boy who has been in my household for months strumming his harp and singing in my chambers.” Saul laughed a bit uneasily. “Who knew he had such a fierce heart!”
“He fights for the Lord and his king.” Jonathan laughed with excitement. “The whole world will hear of what he did today. I’ve got to find him.” He wanted to know more about this boy God had used so mightily.
“Abner is finding quarters for him,” Saul called after him. “We will want him close.”
“He’ll make a fine bodyguard!” Jonathan raised his sword in the air and went off to find him.
When Jonathan spotted David among the men
“There are said to be three other giants of Gath among the Philistine ranks.”
David picked up three more stones, added them to his shepherd’s bag. “Is there anything else I need to know?”
Jonathan felt an assurance he hadn’t felt since Micmash. “God is with you!”
David bowed low, and then walked toward the valley floor.
Jonathan ran back up the hill to stand with his father and watch.
Saul stood, shoulders slumped, dejected. “I have sent that boy out there to die.”
“Let’s watch and see what the Lord will do.”
The Hebrew warriors moved to stand in battle array, murmuring as David walked down into the valley with nothing but his sling, a pouch of five smooth stones, and his shepherd’s staff.
A commotion started in the line as David’s relatives saw him striding down the hill. “What’s he doing? Get out of there!” The officers ordered silence.
Jonathan looked down into the valley again. He prayed fervently. “God, be with him as You were with me at Micmash. Let all Israel see what the Lord can do!”
Goliath and his armor bearer advanced, shouting in disgust. “Am I a dog, that you come at me with a stick? May Dagon curse you!” The Philistine spat curses by all the gods of Philistia on the boy and all Israel while the Philistine warriors laughed and banged their shields.
Jonathan clenched his hand.
“Come over here, boy!” Goliath sneered. “I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!”
“We come to this!” Abner groaned.
Jonathan waited and watched, praying as David stood straight and faced their enemy, his youthful voice carrying. “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”
Goliath roared with laughter, the Philistine warriors joining him.
David walked forward. “Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! ”
David put a stone in his sling and ran toward Goliath.
Jonathan stepped forward. Could he hear the whir of the shepherd’s sling? Or was it his own pulse that hummed in his ears, his heart pounding with every step David took? The boy’s arm shot out and the sling dropped in his hand.
Goliath staggered back, a stone embedded in his forehead. Blood gushed down his face. He spread his feet, trying to keep his balance. Then he toppled like a tree.
Both armies stood in stunned silence. Goliath’s armor bearer fled from David, who raised Goliath’s sword and, with a shout, brought it down. Grabbing Goliath’s severed head by the hair, the shepherd boy held it up for all to see. “For the Lord!”
Exultant, Jonathan drew his sword and held it high, answering. “For the Lord and Israel!”
Fear vanquished, King Saul and Jonathan led the charge, and once more the mighty Philistines fled in terror before the army of the Lord.
When the battle was won, Jonathan searched for David. “Where is he?”
Saul shook his head. “I don’t know. When Abner brought him to me, the boy was still holding Goliath’s head! But he’s gone.”
“His name is David, Father. He is the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem.”
“I know. The same boy who has been in my household for months strumming his harp and singing in my chambers.” Saul laughed a bit uneasily. “Who knew he had such a fierce heart!”
“He fights for the Lord and his king.” Jonathan laughed with excitement. “The whole world will hear of what he did today. I’ve got to find him.” He wanted to know more about this boy God had used so mightily.
“Abner is finding quarters for him,” Saul called after him. “We will want him close.”
“He’ll make a fine bodyguard!” Jonathan raised his sword in the air and went off to find him.
When Jonathan spotted David among the men
Similar Books
