Study Desk

David put on his sword over his heavy battle-clothes and tried to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I am not used to them." And David took them off.

He took his stick in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the river. He put them in his shepherd's bag. His sling was in his hand, and he went to the Philistine.

The Philistine came near to David, with the man carrying his shield in front of him.

When the Philistine looked and saw David, he thought nothing of him. For he was only a young man, with good color in his skin, and good-looking.

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

David put his hand into his bag, took out a stone and threw it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone went into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.

Then David ran and stood over the Philistine. He took his sword out of its holder and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their strong soldier was dead, they ran away.

David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem. But he put his battle-clothes in his tent.

When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner the head of his army, "Abner, whose son is this young man?" And Abner said, "By your life, O king, I do not know."

So when David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine's head in his hand.

Saul took David that day, and would not let him return to his father's house.

Jonathan took off his long coat and gave it to David. He gave him his battle-clothes, his sword, his bow and his belt also.

The women sang as they played, and said, "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands."

The next day a bad spirit sent from God came upon Saul with power. He acted like a crazy man in his house, while David was playing the harp. Saul had a spear in his hand,

and he threw the spear, thinking, "I will nail David to the wall." But David jumped out of his way twice.

Then Saul told his servants, "Speak to David in secret. Tell him, ‘See, the king is happy with you, and all his servants love you. So now become the king's son-in-law.'"

When his servants told this to David, it pleased him to become the king's son-in-law. Before the time was finished,

David and his men went and killed 200 Philistine men. Then David brought their pieces of flesh and gave all of them to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife.

When Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved him,

Then the Philistine leaders went out to battle. And when they did, David acted with more wisdom than all the servants of Saul. So his name became very important.