The Story of the Bible
- Автор: Hurlbut Jesse Lyman
- Год: 1904
- Язык: английский
- Год: Heritage History
- Жанр: Культурология
Электронная книга - «The Story of the Bible». Краткое содержание книги:
David's brother Eliab said to him, "What are you doing here, leaving your sheep in the field? I know that you have come down just to see the battle."
But David did not care for his brother's angry words. He was thinking out some way to kill this boasting giant. While all the men were in terror, this boy thought of a plan. He believed that he knew how to bring down the big warrior, with all his armor. Finally, David said:
"If no one else will go, I will go out and fight with this enemy of the Lord's people."
They brought David before King Saul. Some years had passed since Saul had met David, and he had grown from a boy to a man, so that Saul did not know him as the shepherd who had played on the harp before him in other days.
Saul said to David, "You cannot fight with this giant. You are very young; and he is a man of war, trained from his youth."
And David answered King Saul, "I am only a shepherd, but I have fought with lions and bears, when they have tried to steal my sheep. And I am not afraid to fight with this Philistine. The Lord saved me from the lion's jaw and the bear's paw, and he will save me from this enemy, for I shall fight for the Lord and his people."
Then Saul put his own armor on David, a helmet on his head, and a coat of mail on his body, and a sword at his waist. But Saul was almost a giant, and his armor was far too large for David. David said:
"I am not used to fighting with such weapons as these. Let me fight in my own way."
So David took off Saul's armor; for David's plan to fight the giant did not need armor, but did need a quick eye, a clear head, a sure aim, and a bold heart; and all these David had, for God had given them to him. David's plan was very wise. It was to make Goliath think that his enemy was too weak for him to be on his guard against him; and while so far away that the giant could not reach him with sword or spear, to strike him down with a weapon which the giant would not expect, and would not be prepared for.
David took his shepherd's staff in his hand, as though that were to be his weapon. But out of sight, in a bag under his mantle, he had five smooth stones carefully chosen, and a sling,—the weapon he knew how to use. Then he came out to meet the Philistine. The giant looked down on the youth and despised him, and laughed at him.
"Am I a dog," he said, "that this boy comes to me with a staff! I will give his body to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field."
And the Philistine cursed David by the gods of his people. And David answered him:
"You come against me with a sword and a spear and a dart; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. This day will the Lord give you into my hand; I will strike you down, and take off your head; and the host of the Philistines shall be dead bodies, to be eaten by the birds and the beasts; so that all may know that there is a God in Israel, and that he can save in other ways besides with sword and spear."
And David ran toward the Philistine, as if to fight him with his shepherd's staff. But when he was near enough for a good aim he took out his sling, and hurled a stone aimed at the giant's forehead. David's aim was good, the stone stuck the Philistine in his forehead. It stunned him, and he fell to the ground.
DAVID RUNNING TO MEET GOLIATH
While the two armies stood wondering, the scarcely knowing what had caused the giant to fall so suddenly, David ran forward, drew out the giant's own sword, and cut off his head.
Then the Philistines knew that their great warrior in whom they trusted was dead. They turned to fly back to their own land; and the Israelites followed after them, and killed them by the hundred and thousand, even to the gates of their own city of Gath.
So in that day David won a great victory; and stood before all the land as the one who had saved his people from their enemies.
The Little Boy Looking for the Arrows
I Samuel xvii: 55, to xx: 42.
After David had slain the giant he was brought before King Saul, still holding the giant's head. Saul did not remember in this bold fighting man the boy who a few years before had played in his presence. He took him into his own house, and made him an officer among his soldiers. David was as wise and as brave in the army as he had been when facing the giant, and very soon he was in command of a thousand men. All the men loved him, both in Saul's court and in his camp, for David had the spirit that drew all hearts toward him.
DAVID BROUGHT BEFORE SAUL WITH THE GIANT'S HEAD
When David was returning from his battle with the Philistines the women of Israel came to meet him out of the cities, with instruments of music, singing and dancing, and they sang:
"Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands."
This made Saul very angry, for he was jealous and suspicious in his spirit. He thought constantly of Samuel's words, that God would take the kingdom from him and would gie it to one who was more worthy of it. He began to think that perhaps this young man, who had come in a single day to greatness before the people, might try to make himself king.
THE WOMEN MEETING DAVID WITH DANCING AND SINGING
His former feeling of unhappiness again came over Saul. He raved in his house, talking as a man talks who is crazed. By this time they all knew that David was a musician, and they called him again to play on his harp and to sing before the troubled king. But now, in his madness, Saul would not listen to David's voice. Twice he threw his spear at him; but each time David leaped aside, and the spear went into the wall of the house.
Saul was afraid of David, for he saw that the Lord was with David, as the Lord was no longer with himself. He would have killed David, but did not dare to kill him, because everybody loved David. Saul said to himself, "Though I cannot kill him myself, I will have him killed by the Philistines."
And he sent David out on dangerous errands of war; but David came home in safety, all the greater and the more beloved after each victory. Saul said, "I will give you my daughter Merab for your wife if you will fight the Philistines for me."
David fought the Philistines; but when he came home from the war he found that Merab, who had been promised to him, had been given as wife to another man. Saul had another daughter, named Michal. She loved David, and showed her love for him. Then Saul sent word to David, saying, "You shall have Michal, my daughter, for your wife when you have killed a hundred Philistines."
Then David went out and fought the Philistines, and killed two hundred of them; and they brought the word to Saul. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal as his wife; but he was all the more afraid of David as he saw him growing in power and drawing nearer to the throne of the kingdom.
But if Saul hated David, Saul's son, Jonathan, loved David with all his heart. This was the brave young warrior of whom we read in Story Two of this Part, who with his armor-bearer went out alone to fight the Philistine army. Jonathan saw David's courage and nobility of soul, and loved him with all his heart. He took off his own royal robe, and his sword, and his bow, and gave them all to David. It grieved Jonathan greatly that his father, Saul, was so jealous of David. He spoke to his father, and said: "Let not the king do harm to David; for David has been faithful to the king, and he has done great things for the kingdom. He took his life in his hand, and killed the Philistine, and won a great victory for the Lord and for the people. Why should you seek to kill an innocent man?"
For the time Saul listened to Jonathan, and said, "As the Lord lives, David shall not be put to death."
And again David sat at the king's table, among the princes; and when Saul was troubled again David played on his harp and sang before him. But once more Saul's jealous anger arose, and he threw his spear at David. David was watchful and quick. He leaped aside, and, as before, the spear fastened into the wall.