David and Goliath
This story of how David was anointed to be king and his fight with Goliath is found in 1 Samuel chapters 16 & 17. This is how it goes: King Saul was disobedient to God. So, the Lord asked Samuel the prophet to find a new king for Israel among the eight sons of Jesse in Bethlehem. When Samuel saw David at his father’s house, the Lord said to him, “He is the one.” So, Samuel anointed him with oil promising that he will be the next king of Israel.
At that time, Saul was king. The Philistines waged war upon Israel. And one of their strongest giants, by the name of Goliath, challenged the Israeli army every day for forty days to send one soldier to fight him saying, if an Israelite would beat me, we will become your servants, but if I win, you will all become our servants. When Saul and all his men heard this, they were very afraid and didn’t respond to the challenge.
Now David’s father Jesse heard about the giant and was worried for his sons who were enlisted in the army. So, he sent David to check on his brothers and give them food. When the young man came to the camp and heard Goliath giving his challenge, he asked, “Isn’t someone going to stand up to this man?” He didn’t hear any answer. So, he announced, “Then I will fight this giant Philistine.”
This news reached King Saul who in turn said to David, “You can’t fight Goliath, you’re only a boy and he has been fighting for many years.” But young man said to the king, “I have had to fight lions and bears to protect my father’s sheep. God helped keep me safe then and he will help keep me safe now.”
As the young man drew near to Goliath, the giant looked at him and laughed. But the young man said to him without fear, “You fight with a sword and I come with God on my side and today everyone will know that there is one true God in this land.”
Goliath moved closer to attack but the young man ran to him, pulled a stone out of his pouch, and shot it at him. The stone hit the giant between the eyes and he fell on the ground. The young man rushed and killed Goliath with the sword. From that moment, the Israelites knew that God’s favor was on David and with time he became the next King of Israel.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
