Study Desk

His servants said to him, "We know that an evil spirit sent by God is tormenting you.

So give us the order, sir, and we will look for a man who knows how to play the harp. Then when the evil spirit comes on you, the man can play his harp, and you will be all right again."

One of his attendants said, "Jesse of the town of Bethlehem has a son who is a good musician. He is also a brave and handsome man, a good soldier, and an able speaker. The Lord is with him."

David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much and chose him as the man to carry his weapons.

From then on, whenever the evil spirit sent by God came on Saul, David would get his harp and play it. The evil spirit would leave, and Saul would feel better and be all right again.

His legs were also protected by bronze armor, and he carried a bronze javelin slung over his shoulder.

His spear was as thick as the bar on a weaver's loom, and its iron head weighed about fifteen pounds. A soldier walked in front of him carrying his shield.

When Saul and his men heard this, they were terrified.

His three oldest sons had gone with Saul to war. The oldest was Eliab, the next was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah.

David would go back to Bethlehem from time to time, to take care of his father's sheep.

David left the food with the officer in charge of the supplies, ran to the battle line, went to his brothers, and asked how they were getting along.

"Look at him!" they said to each other. "Listen to his challenge! King Saul has promised to give a big reward to the man who kills him; the king will also give him his daughter to marry and will not require his father's family to pay taxes."

"No," answered Saul. "How could you fight him? You're just a boy, and he has been a soldier all his life!"

He gave his own armor to David for him to wear: a bronze helmet, which he put on David's head, and a coat of armor.

He took his shepherd's stick and then picked up five smooth stones from the stream and put them in his bag. With his sling ready, he went out to meet Goliath.

The Philistine started walking toward David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. He kept coming closer,

He said to David, "What's that stick for? Do you think I'm a dog?" And he called down curses from his god on David.

and everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people. He is victorious in battle, and he will put all of you in our power."

He reached into his bag and took out a stone, which he slung at Goliath. It hit him on the forehead and broke his skull, and Goliath fell face downward on the ground.

He ran to him, stood over him, took Goliath's sword out of its sheath, and cut off his head and killed him. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran away.