strangled and killed them. I will go now and take away the reproach of the people. The Lord, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and the bear, will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.”
At last Saul consented and said: “Go, and the Lord be with thee.” Saul then clothed David with his own armour or coat of mail, and put a helmet of brass on his head. But David, unused to wear armour, could not move freely under its weight, and therefore he laid it aside.
Then he took his staff which he had always in his hands, and chose five smooth stones[1] from the brook and put them in the shepherd's scrip which he had with him; and taking a sling in his hand he went forth to meet the Philistine.
When Goliath drew near and beheld David coming on, he despised him and said: “Am I a dog that thou comest to me with a staff?” Then cursing David by his gods he said: “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth.” David answered: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord[2] of Hosts whom thou hast defied [3]. I will slay thee and take away thy head from thee, that all may know that there is a God in Israel.”
Meanwhile the Philistine arose, advanced and made ready for the fight; David, on his part, making haste ran up to meet the giant. While running he quickly took a stone from his scrip, laid it in his sling, and swinging[4] it swiftly he aimed and struck Goliath so violently on the forehead that he reeled and fell on his face upon the earth. Then David, rushing up and taking Goliath’s sword from its scabbard, cut off his head.
- ↑ Smooth stones. They had to be smooth so as to slide easily from the sling.
- ↑ In the name of the Lord. i. e. you rely on material weapons and human strength, while I rely on spiritual arms, faith and trust in the power of the true God who is the Lord of invisible (heavenly) armies.
- ↑ Defied. Goliath, by mocking the Israelites and treating them as if God were powerless to help them, was really defying God.
- ↑ Swinging. By swinging the sling, such velocity was given to the stone cast by it that even the skull of the giant could not resist it. But to take aim well and sling truly, great skill and practice are required. David possessed both, and God now gave him the grace not to lose courage or presence of mind, without which he could not have taken a cool and sure aim.
