This Week's Story
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A nine feet and nine inches tall soldier attempts to fight a teenager who is equipped with a slingshot and five stones.
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Don't kill him! part three
Let’s look back to when David met Saul. Then in part four we will return to David living among enemies in Ziklag.
David’s adventures on a national level began when he was a teenager. Goliath, a 9’9" Philistine warrior and enemy of the Israelis, challenged any soldier in the Israeli army to kill him.
David, bringing food to his brothers, heard the challenge and asked to fight Goliath. The king replied, “There is no way you could defeat Goliath You are only a boy!”
David protested, “God has helped me to kill lions and bears when they attacked my father’s sheep.”
The king let David accept Goliath’s challenge. David selected his weapons-- five smooth stones placed in a shepherd’s bag, and a sling.
Goliath sneered at David, “Am I a dog that you come at me with a stick? Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!”
David called, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty—the God of the armies
of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you.”
David ran to meet Goliath, simultaneously reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone. He hurled it from his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sunk in. Goliath stumbled and fell to the ground dying.
David was taken to King Saul, who asked, “Who is your father, my boy?”
“His name is Jesse and we live in Bethlehem.”
David was asked to live in the king’s palace. He was introduced to the king’s son Jonathan. Soon he and Jonathan became best friends.
Jonathan promised. “David, I pledge my friendship to you with this gift. I give you my robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt.”
The king was becoming David’s enemy. As David and Israeli soldiers returned home after David’s killing of Goliath, women and children danced in the streets with tambourines and cymbals to celebrate Goliath’s death. They sang:
“Saul has killed his thousands
“And David his ten-thousands!”
Saul stormed, “Soon the people will make David king.” Jealousy burned in him and he raved like a madman. David played his harp to soothe the king, but the king hurled his spear to pin David to the wall. David jumped aside and escaped. Another day the king repeated his attack. Again, David escaped.
In coming months David followed Saul’s commands and became a successful military commander. Officers and enlisted men praised David’s skill in leading his troops into battle.
The king ordered, “David, do not come into my presence. No longer will you lead thousands of soldiers. You will lead 1,000 soldiers.”
David’s success continued. He married the king’s daughter. He succeeded in paying the bride price which Saul had arranged as a way for David to be killed. David wasn’t killed. He often survived with God’s protection.
Many more stories happened before David was given the town of Ziklag by King Achish of the Philistines.
The next two weeks we will have Christmas stories at www.thisweekstory.com. Then, return for part four of “Don’t kill him.”
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