Perhaps one of the best-known events takes place in this chapter. One which even the secular world knows about and refers to even today, especially when the odds are stacked against someone or a team – a giant killing, a David and Goliath contest.
We begin with the Philistines gathered in battle against the Israelites (v1-10) at Sochoh in Judah. They were camped between Sochoh and Azekah in Ephes Dammim. Saul and his men were camped in the Valley of Elah. The Philistines on one mountain on one side and Israel on a mountain on the other side of the valley. A huge, fully armed 9ft giant named Goliath was the Philistines’ champion and he came out forty days, morning and evening (v16) eighty times taunting the Israelites and inviting them to send one of theirs to fight him, with the statement that whoever wins, the losers will be servants of the winners. Sounded a reasonable proposition, saving lots of lives apparently. The longer this went on, the worse it would be.
It has been documented that there have been lots of people of his size through history, so it was not so unusual. He was from Gath and Joshua states (Joshua 11:21) that the Anakim were there, and they were giants.
Goliath shouted that he defied the armies of Israel. That was his big mistake, because God was on the side of the armies of Israel, and thus, he was defying God. When Saul and all Israel heard these words, they were afraid (v11). You may recall that Saul was taller by head and shoulders than others in Israel, so, he would be the likely one to fight him, but he was afraid, and consequently his army was afraid. Saul was once a man of courage and a great leader, but The LORD had departed from him.
Obviously, Goliath’s tactics were to grind the Israel army down, and it is evident that this was working. However, all was not lost, but it came from a most unlikely source.
David was the youngest of Jesse’s eight sons. Jesse was old by now and his three eldest sons, Eliab, Abinadab and Shammah had followed Saul in the battle (v12-15). David was on duty at the palace, but he occasionally went home to feed his father’s sheep. Maybe he was only called to the palace when needed to quell Saul’s distress. David could have proudly thought that now he went to the palace by royal appointment with a more important job, keeping sheep was somewhat beneath him, but that was not the case. Jesse told David to go to the battlefield with supplies for his brothers and also for the captain of their thousand (v16-21). He asked him to bring back news of how they were faring. David obeyed his father, got up early, left the sheep with a keeper and went as his father instructed him. He shows his care for the sheep by not just leaving them, but ensuring they had a keeper.
David must have arrived on the fortieth day of Goliath’s taunts. There was a lot of noise as the armies were meeting for battle, but the giant came out as usual with his challenge, and no doubt silence came over the Israelite side. He saw the giant and also saw the army of Israel cower in silence. He left the supplies with the canteen supervisor (v22-24) and went to the camping Israelites on their side of the valley. Not one of them would take on Goliath. Everyone was in dreadful fear (v24). The soldiers told David what was happening (v25-27) and also told him that Saul would reward whoever kills Goliath with great riches and the hand of his daughter as well as tax exemption for his father’s house. This was some reward!
David must have thought, why doesn’t someone take him on? What about the king himself, surely, he is no coward. There wasn’t one among them, including the king, who was brave enough to fight this huge man, armed to the teeth.
David was astounded that this “Uncircumcised Philistine” should “Defy the armies of The Living God” (v26). David was angry that Goliath had the audacity to stand and defy The LORD’s people. When he asked about the reward, his brother Eliab turned on him and told him that he should be at home looking after the sheep (v28-30). There were other brothers at home, why couldn’t they look after the sheep. Maybe Eliab was embarrassed so he turned on David and stirred up anger in the others. (v30)
Maybe he knew that David was right, but he didn’t want to admit it. He was as scared as all the others, and David’s words struck home.
Do we stir up trouble when others are prepared to do what we are not? Do we stand on our dignity?
David was more interested in his God, and His cause. He was only concerned about the insults to Almighty God and His glory. One commentator said that with those words, Goliath was as good as dead. David trusted in God and Goliath was no match for Him.
Someone told Saul David’s words (v31,32) – his indignation at this man defying the Living God. Perhaps Saul was glad to hear that someone actually believed that and maybe someone reminded Saul that they were no ordinary people, no ordinary army, but the army of the Living God, His chosen people.
This had apparently gone on for forty days but we don’t read of anyone suggesting that they pray and turn to God for help. In the past, even though disobedient people, God had often helped them. Why not now?
David is called before Saul. Surely, Saul knew who he was, but maybe in the utter confusion and disillusionment, he didn’t recognise him. Perhaps usually he had mostly seen him when distressed and listened to his music. He said to Saul (v32) “Let no man’s heart fail because of Him, your servant will go and fight with this Philistine” this was, no doubt, music to Saul’s ears, but then reality returned, and Saul said (v33), “You are not able …. For you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”
Saul must have been glad to hear that someone would take on Goliath, but not a shepherd boy. He must have forgotten that when David was recommended in 16:18 that not only was David skilful in his musical ability, but also, that he was a mighty man of valour, a man of war, and most important of all, The LORD was with him. He evidently didn’t look like the other man of war, Goliath, for he had no armour, no sword, no spear, no shield. But he had the most important weapon of all – The LORD was with him. I’m not sure that that put Saul’s mind at ease. David assured Saul that he had killed a lion and a bear when they attacked his sheep. “God delivered me from them …. He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (v37)
Saul was satisfied to some extent saying, “Go and The LORD be with you”. Perhaps it was like saying, ‘Well, I suppose it is better than nothing’ and he then gave David his own armour. David would be familiar with it because he was Saul’s armour bearer (16:21) and he knew that untested armour would be a disadvantage, and he didn’t have time to test it. Saul was a very tall man, taller than David. It was no good to David if he was going to fight Goliath in 1 to 1 combat. He didn’t want a hinderance, but he had greater ‘armour’, he was going in The Name of The LORD. Armour is largely for defence; he was going to attack.
The apostle Paul says that we should put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6) and you will notice that much of it is for defence against the attacks of the devil. The sword (The Word of God) is our only means of attack. It is the armour of God and there is no doubt that it will fit perfectly.
David knew that it was God who delivered him from the lion and the bear, and he has no doubts that God will deliver him from the hand of Goliath (v33-37). He went in faith in The Name of The LORD (v40) – he took five stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. He also took his staff in his hand. Imagine the scene – Goliath with his shield bearer in front walking forward as he had done for 40 days morning and evening. By now he must have been swaggering, super confident and full of disdain for the Israelite army. Numerous challenges and not one taker – surely sooner or later someone will come and fight me just to try to stop the monotony – and I will make mincemeat of him (or bird meat (v44)).
He then hears a slight commotion and a young man steps forward – obviously not without some reasonable physique but compared with Goliath he would appear as nothing. Goliath let forth a derisory laugh – and (v42) He disdained or belittled him, ‘Well I thought that sooner or later you would send me someone to fight, or I would shame you into it – but this is ridiculous – a young man, a boy even, healthily red from being out in the fields and good-looking. Are you trying to charm me or insult me?’ ‘Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?’ Goliath considered it an insult to his manhood. He knew nothing about the stones – all he could see was David’s staff, so he cursed David and defied God. An obvious mismatch if ever there was one, or so Goliath must have thought ‘Come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds and to the beasts’ (v.44). He considered David to be a little boy without a a possible chance of defeating him.
But David answered him “You come to me with a sword and a spear and a javelin, but I come to you in the Name of The LORD of hosts, The God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” God specialises in apparent mismatches. Goliath wasn’t just defying the Israel army he was defying The God of Israel and that would never do.
I may have said it before, but sin, whilst maybe against another person and often needs confessing to that person, is always against God and must be confessed to Him. David said that, later in his life (see Psalm 51).
Listen to the confidence of David in his God (v 46) “This day The LORD will deliver you into my hands…. that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that The LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is The LORD’s and He will give you into our hands”.
“The battle is The Lord’s” how true that is, and we are involved, or should be! If it is The Lord’s battle, then victory is assured. We might suffer one or two little defeats on the way, which are usually our fault, but ultimately, He will have the victory. Just how much are we involved – are we at the forefront or the rearguard? If that’s where God has put you that is fine. But are you fighting in the wrong place? We need to search out God’s will to know where we should be in this great battle. God distributes gifts by His Holy Spirit, and we should use whatever we have been given, where God wants us to be, and in His Name, and in His time, but we must be fully committed to Him.
Too many are on the sidelines watching, or not even watching. Christianity is not a spectator sport – it’s getting your hands and feet dirty in the work. How often do we like to sing, ‘You in your small corner and I in mine’ the trouble is with that is that many never come out of their corner and don’t do anything whilst they’re in it.
Amazing words – all the earth does know – everyone who knows anything about the Old Testament knows about David and Goliath. As I said earlier, it is used today in common parlance whenever there is a mismatch of people, business, sport – any sort of battle or competition where the sides are unequal. Indeed ‘all the earth knows’! David shows his absolute trust in God when he said I will take your head from you. Such faith! I doubt whether any other of the Israelite army had such faith, they were probably in trepidation, particularly Saul.
Goliath came towards David and David ran towards him (v 48) I guess this would take him by surprise – I don’t think Goliath would be a particularly fast mover with his size and the weight of his armour and equipment. David quickly released a stone out of his sling shot and hit Goliath in the forehead. This was not an uncommon method, nor was it an unsuccessful “pot shot” way of firing. In Judges 20v16 we are told it that amongst the children of Benjamin and the inhabitants of Gibeah were “700 select men who were left-handed, every one of them could sling a stone at a hair’s breadth and not miss”.
This is merely a suggestion, but we tend to think (from pictures) that the sling was a scarf-like thing which was whirled around, and the stone released at speed. It seems to me to be very difficult to aim – particularly to hit a hair and not miss. Maybe some form of catapult would be a better description, but whatever it was, it was effective. Goliath was struck in the forehead and the stone sunk in. It was obviously traveling at terrific speed, and he sank to the ground face forward, stunned (v49). As David had no sword, he took the giant’s own sword and killed him and cut off his head (v 51).
One commentator has said, ‘Everyone else thought, “Goliath is so big, I can’t beat him.” David thought, “Goliath is so big, I can’t miss him.” “A man of less faith might have been too nervous to take the proper aim.”
“When the Philistines saw their champion was dead – they fled”. So much for them all being Israel’s servants! Never expect the devil to keep his promises. Instead, they were pursued, and many were wounded and killed. The Israelites chased them so far and then returned and plundered their tents. David brought up the head of Goliath, and his armour, and he left them in his tent. (v50-54). David’s example gave them courage even though at first, they were full of fear.
Saul seemed to suffer some sort of memory loss again (v55-58). In chapter 16 we were told that Saul loved David, appointed him his armour bearer and even asked Jesse to permit David to go to the palace. Now he had to ask Abner who David was. Even Abner didn’t know and had to make enquiries, and brought David, still carrying the head of Goliath, before Saul, and he reminded Saul whose son he was.
Maybe Saul was thinking about his daughter and his wealth, for he had promised that the conqueror of Goliath would receive these gifts as well as one’s family being exempt from taxes. Perhaps he wanted to know more about this young man before taking him as his son-in-law. I’m sure his promises beforehand were said without thinking too deeply, but now, the situation was more personal.
Before we leave this chapter, I want us to think how important it is that ‘The Lord is with us’. We must be obedient and fully committed to Him. It is important that we are filled with God’s Holy Spirit. We must do things in His time, his way, and in the meantime continue to do what He has given us to do, the menial tasks, until such time that He exalts us to something bigger. For David, the battle had started when he was looking after the sheep. It was all part of his training. We must be faithful in little, otherwise, He may consider that we will not be faithful in much. We must stand up for The Lord against the world and all that it throws against us, and whatever we do, we must do it in The Name of The Lord. We are in The Lord’s battle – what a calling!
