Read 1 Samuel 17:(1a,4-11,19-23) 32-49

Read 1 Samuel 17:(1a,4-11,19-23) 32-49

17  The Philistines gathered for battle in Socoh, a town in Judah; they camped at a place called Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.

4 A man named Goliath, from the city of Gath, came out from the Philistine camp to challenge the Israelites. He was nearly 3 metres^z tall ⁵and wore bronze armour that weighed about 57 kilogrammes and a bronze helmet. ⁶His legs were also protected by bronze armour, and he carried a bronze javelin slung over his shoulder. ⁷His spear was as thick as the bar on a weaver’s loom, and its iron head weighed about 7 kilogrammes. A soldier walked in front of him carrying his shield. ⁸Goliath stood and shouted at the Israelites, “What are you doing there, lined up for battle? I am a Philistine, you slaves of Saul! Choose one of your men to fight me. ⁹If he wins and kills me, we will be your slaves; but if I win and kill him, you will be our slaves. ¹⁰Here and now I challenge the Israelite army. I dare you to pick someone to fight me!” ¹¹When Saul and his men heard this, they were terrified.

¹⁹King Saul, your brothers, and all the other Israelites are in the Valley of Elah fighting the Philistines.” ]

20 David got up early the next morning, left someone else in charge of the sheep, took the food, and went as Jesse had told him to. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelites were going out to their battle line, shouting the war cry. ²¹The Philistine and the Israelite armies took up positions for battle, facing each other. ²²David left the food with the officer in charge of the supplies, ran to the battle line, went to his brothers, and asked how they were getting on. ²³As he was talking to them, Goliath came forward and challenged the Israelites as he had done before. And David heard him.

³²David said to Saul, “Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine! I will go and fight him.”

33 “No,” answered Saul. “How could you fight him? You’re just a boy, and he has been a soldier all his life!”

34 “Your Majesty,” David said, “I take care of my father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear carries off a lamb, ³⁵I go after it, attack it, and rescue the lamb. And if the lion or bear turns on me, I grab it by the throat and beat it to death. ³⁶I have killed lions and bears, and I will do the same to this heathen Philistine, who has defied the army of the living God. ³⁷The Lord has saved me from lions and bears; he will save me from this Philistine.”

“All right,” Saul answered. “Go, and the Lord be with you.” ³⁸He gave his own armour to David for him to wear: a bronze helmet, which he put on David’s head, and a coat of armour. ³⁹David strapped Saul’s sword over the armour and tried to walk, but he couldn’t, because he wasn’t used to wearing them. “I can’t fight with all this,” he said to Saul. “I’m not used to it.” So he took it all off. ⁴⁰He took his shepherd’s stick and then picked up five smooth stones from the stream and put them in his bag. With his sling ready, he went out to meet Goliath.

41 The Philistine started walking towards David, with his shield-bearer walking in front of him. He kept coming closer, ⁴²and when he got a good look at David, he was filled with scorn for him because he was just a nice, good-looking boy. ⁴³He said to David, “What’s that stick for? Do you think I’m a dog?” And he called down curses from his god on David. ⁴⁴“Come on,” he challenged David, “and I will give your body to the birds and animals to eat.”

45 David answered, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Israelite armies, which you have defied. ⁴⁶This very day the Lord will put you in my power; I will defeat you and cut off your head. And I will give the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds and animals to eat. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a God, ⁴⁷and everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people. He is victorious in battle, and he will put all of you in our power.”

48 Goliath started walking towards David again, and David ran quickly towards the Philistine battle line to fight him. ⁴⁹He put his hand into his bag and took out a stone, which he slung at Goliath. It hit him on the forehead and broke his skull, and Goliath fell face downwards on the ground.

Think

This is one of the best and most told stories of the Bible.  It inspires us because we identify with David - Alone we are weak, helpless, but when God is with us - using the skills we have - we can face menacing giants.

Pray

Lord - you know what the giants in my life are.

You equip me to face them.

Help me, like David to find the courage and the tools to do what you call me to do.