Old Testament Story List

David and Goliath

Once more the Philistines gathered together their great armies to battle against the Hebrews. They camped on the side of a mountain, and the Hebrews camped on another mountain with the valley of Elah between them.

One morning there came out from the camp of the Philistines a great giant, Goliath of Gath, who was over nine feet tall. He

He came down to the valley and, in a thundering voice, cried out to the armies of the Hebrews, "Why do you not come out and fight? Choose a man from your midst and let him come to fight me. If he can kill me, we will be your servants. But if I win and kill him, then you shall serve us."

When Saul and the Hebrews saw this great giant, they were terrified, for they believed that no one of them could beat him. Every morning and evening, for forty days, Goliath came down and defied the Hebrews.

Now David had gone home to help his old father with the sheep, for his elder brothers were soldiers in Saul's army. One day Jesse sent David with fresh bread and corn for his brothers, and gifts of fine cheeses for their captains.

David left the sheep with a keeper and went as his father told him. When he came to the battleground, he found the armies set for battle, for the Hebrews had not found anyone to fight Goliath. When David heard Goliath utter his challenge, he went to Saul and begged to be allowed to do battle with the giant.

So Saul had David covered with heavy armor to protect him, and gave him a fine sword. But these weapons were too heavy, and David did not know how to handle them; so he took them all off. Then, from the brook that ran through the valley, David chose five smooth stones and put them in his shepherd's bag. He carried his staff in one hand and in the other the sling with which he used to drive off the wild animals that attacked his flocks. And he went down tot he valley before Goliath.

When the Philistines looked about and saw this young boy, he roared, half in amusement, half in anger, "Am I a dog that you come after me with a staff? Come, I will feed you to the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field."

David answered, "You come with a sword, a spear, and a shield. I come in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, Whom you have defiled. This day God will deliver you into my hand. And I will kill you and take your head from you, that all the earth may know there is a God in Israel."

Then David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, and put it in his sling. He took good aim and swung the sling toward Goliath. The hurling stone sank into the giant's forehead, and he fell dead.

David then ran up to the fallen giant, drew out Goliath's own sword, and cut off his head.

When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. But the Hebrews pursued them and defeated them. Then the victors returned and carried off the spoils from the Philistine tents.