Study Desk

Then Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger burned against David, and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I myself know your arrogance and the wickedness of your heart, for you have come down in order to see the battle."

Then Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth."

But David said to Saul, "Your servant was shepherding his father's sheep. And a lion and a bear would come and take a lamb from the flock,

Then Saul clothed David with his robes and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor.

And David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David took them off.

Then he took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.

And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

And David sent his hand down into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.

Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and put him to death and cut off his head with it. Then the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, so they fled.

And David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.

So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine's head in his hand.

Now it happened when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

And Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father's house.

Then Jonathan cut a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul.

And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even his sword and his bow and his belt.

And the women sang as they were merry and said,"Saul has struck his thousands,And David his ten thousands."

Then Saul became very angry, for this saying was displeasing in his eyes; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, but to me they have ascribed thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?"

Now it happened on the next day that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he raved in the midst of the house. Now David was playing the harp with his hand, as usual; and a spear was in Saul's hand.

Then Saul hurled the spear for he thought, "I will pin David to the wall." But David escaped from his presence twice.

Therefore Saul turned him away from his presence and appointed him as his commander of one thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.