David and Goliath
581
By his father’s direction he was to carry a message and a gift to his
elder brothers and to learn if they were still in safety and health. But,
unknown to Jesse, the youthful shepherd had been entrusted with a
higher mission. The armies of Israel were in peril, and David had been
directed by an angel to save his people.
As David drew near to the army, he heard the sound of commotion,
as if an engagement was about to begin. And “the host was going forth
to the fight, and shouted for the battle.” Israel and the Philistines were
drawn up in array, army against army. David ran to the army, and came
and saluted his brothers. While he was talking with them, Goliath, the
champion of the Philistines, came forth, and with insulting language
defied Israel and challenged them to provide a man from their ranks
who would meet him in single combat. He repeated his challenge,
and when David saw that all Israel were filled with fear, and learned
that the Philistine’s defiance was hurled at them day after day, without
arousing a champion to silence the boaster, his spirit was stirred within
him. He was fired with zeal to preserve the honor of the living God
and the credit of His people.
The armies of Israel were depressed. Their courage failed. They
said one to another, “Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to
defy Israel is he come up.” In shame and indignation, David exclaimed,
“Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies
of the living God?”
Eliab, David’s eldest brother, when he heard these words, knew
well the feelings that were stirring the young man’s soul. Even as
a shepherd, David had manifested daring, courage, and strength but
rarely witnessed; and the mysterious visit of Samuel to their father’s
house, and his silent departure, had awakened in the minds of the
brothers suspicions of the real object of his visit. Their jealousy had
been aroused as they saw David honored above them, and they did not
regard him with the respect and love due to his integrity and brotherly
tenderness. They looked upon him as merely a stripling shepherd, and
now the question which he asked was regarded by Eliab as a censure
upon his own cowardice in making no attempt to silence the giant of
the Philistines. The elder brother exclaimed angrily, “Why camest
thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the
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wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for
thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.” David’s answer