*1 Samuel 17:32-58
David convinces King Saul to let him fight Goliath, trusting in God’s past deliverance from lions and bears to defeat the giant.
- David Volunteers:
- David, a shepherd boy, hears Goliath’s challenge to the Israelites.
- Despite being young and inexperienced in battle, David offers to confront Goliath.
- Saul’s Doubt:
- King Saul initially doubts David’s ability to face Goliath.
- He questions David’s readiness due to his youth and lack of armor.
- David’s Confidence:
- David recounts his experiences defending his flock from lions and bears.
- He expresses confidence in God’s protection and assistance in battle.
- Preparation for Battle:
- Saul reluctantly agrees to let David fight Goliath.
- He tries to outfit David with his armor, but David declines, opting for his shepherd’s staff, sling, and five smooth stones from the brook.
- The Confrontation:
- Goliath, towering over David, mocks him and curses him by his gods.
- David responds with faith, declaring his reliance on the God of Israel.
- David’s Victory:
- David swiftly slings a stone, striking Goliath in the forehead, felling him.
- David rushes forward, using Goliath’s own sword to decapitate him.
- The Philistine army flees in terror at the sight of their champion’s defeat.
- Triumphant Return:
- David presents Goliath’s head to Saul, proving his victory.
- Saul inquires about David’s lineage, and David recounts his family background.
1 Samuel 17:32-58 teaches us that we don’t need to be the strongest or most experienced to face big challenges—what matters most is trusting God. David didn’t rely on fancy armor or weapons; he trusted that God would help him defeat Goliath. In life, we may feel unprepared or too small to handle difficult situations, but like David, we can move forward with faith. When we put our trust in God and use what we have, He can work through us to accomplish great things.
1 Samuel 17:32-58 (WEB)
17:32 David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”33 Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”34 David said to Saul, “Your servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after him, struck him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, struck him, and killed him. 36 Your servant struck both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 David said, “The LORD, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.”Saul said to David, “Go! The LORD will be with you.”38 Saul dressed David with his clothing. He put a helmet of bronze on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail. 39 David strapped his sword on his clothing and he tried to move, for he had not tested it. David said to Saul, “I can’t go with these, for I have not tested them.” Then David took them off.40 He took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag which he had. His sling was in his hand; and he came near to the Philistine. 41 The Philistine walked and came near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 When the Philistine looked around and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and had a good looking face. 43 The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and to the animals of the field.”45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 Today, the LORD will deliver you into my hand. I will strike you and take your head from off you. I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines today to the birds of the sky and to the wild animals of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD doesn’t save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.”48 When the Philistine arose, and walked and came near to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in his bag, took a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand. 51 Then David ran, stood over the Philistine, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it.When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 The men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as Gai and to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and to Ekron. 53 The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 54 David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent. 55 When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?”Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I can’t tell.”56 The king said, “Inquire whose son the young man is!”57 As David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, you young man?”David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”