Look--listen--as he wanders over the hillside at dusk, he shows alarm--he hears a dreaded sound! Ah, yes, one he knew too well--the stealthy glide of a creeping foe coming to attack his flock.
Alone, with only his sling for weapon, in that wild unpeopled country, the shepherd boy stands, brave and alert, ready to protect his sheep.
Ah, a lion! the stealthy beast creeps nearer, nearer.
Suddenly David draws his sling, the stone strikes the lion between the eyes, he falls by a single shot. But look--this is not the end of the battle. Even while David is encountering the lion, that most dreaded of all foes of the flock, a huge bear glides with stealthy steps, and seizes a lamb. Quick as an arrow David hurls himself upon the monstrous beast, who drops his prey and rises in angry power on his hind legs to hug and crush his enemy. But David is too quick for him, he grasps the bear by the jaw with iron force, grapples with him, the great creature snarls, moans, writhes and is no more, while David, hot with the joy of victory, turns back to quiet his frightened flock.
Does not this encounter give a hint of the fearless courage that made David such a famous warrior in later life?
Now let us note another side of his many-sided character while we listen to the melodies he so dearly loved to play on his harp as he wandered over the hills and plains with his flock. David had in him the making of a mighty warrior, a great king, but he had too, a dreamy, sensitive, poetic side to his nature, which made him deeply appreciate and enjoy all the beauty of nature which he tried to express in his music, and which long years later, came out more clearly in those wonderful psalms which he wrote, and which have comforted and helped so many generations of Christian people.
In those days Saul was becoming less and less of a dignified, self-controlled leader, as he began to realise that he was not powerful enough to hold his people, and he frequently gave way to fits of terrible anger or prolonged melancholy, from which no one could rouse him. At that time when the Philistines were gaining so many victories over the Israelites, it was most important that Saul should not give way to such attacks, as they unfitted him to perform his public or private duties, and every means of quieting him was tried, but in vain.
Finally, it was suggested that music has a soothing effect on troubled spirits, and when the idea was mentioned to Saul it pleased him, and he at once commanded that a musician be found and brought to him. Then came the question of who that musician should be, and one of Saul"s counsellors said:
"Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing and a comely person, and the Lord is with him."
The description pleased Saul and he at once sent a messenger to Jesse, saying:
"Send me David, thy son, which is with the sheep."
And so once again, there came to David a new experience for which he had had no preparation, and again, as before, he neither refused nor questioned the call to a different life, but while Jesse, his father, was preparing a present to send to Saul by David, according to the custom of the times, David was making hasty preparations to leave home.
Soon he was ready to set off, and taking with him an a.s.s laden with bread, a bottle of wine and a young kid, which were Jesse"s present to Saul, on he journeyed over the hills and through the valleys until he reached the court of the King, and presently stood in the presence of Saul, who almost as soon as he had looked at the lad with his fair, bright face and st.u.r.dy figure, took a great fancy to him, and commanded him to become one of his household and to come and play to him whenever he should be summoned, and also sent this message back to Jesse:
"Let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he hath found favour in my sight."
So David stayed at the King"s court, and whenever Saul gave way to an attack of anger or depression, the young minstrel would hasten to him, and play melodies grave and gay, sweet and brilliant, playing with such skill that before he knew it, Saul would be in good humour again, or drop into a deep, refreshing sleep, and little did he dream that the lad who had such power to soothe and amuse him had been anointed by Samuel to rule over Israel in his place. That David thought often and earnestly about this, would be only natural to suppose, and we can but fancy that in those days amid surroundings such as he had never had before, the young lad learned much of the manners and customs of a king"s life, and learned too, from the weakness that he saw in Saul"s nature what a king ought to be and do. Probably much of David"s tact in dealing with men and circ.u.mstances at a later day came from his observations in those early days when he was but a minstrel at the court of Saul.
How long he remained there, we do not know, but until Saul"s attacks of pa.s.sion and melancholy had been entirely overcome. Then, in the same spirit of unquestioning obedience as he showed before to the call of circ.u.mstances, as soon as he was no longer needed by Saul, David went back again to his home in Bethlehem and again tended his father"s flocks in the Judean pasture-lands.
The Israelites and the Philistines were still at war, and the two armies were now encamped against each other on opposite ridges that overhung a valley, called the valley of the Terebinth, about sixteen miles from Bethlehem.
Battles in those days were sometimes merely encounters between two champions chosen by the opposing armies to fight for them; but the Philistines had given no hint to the Israelites that this was to be their plan of action, when suddenly, out from their camp there burst forth Goliath, the last and mightiest of the giants of Gath, and shouted out a challenge to the Israelites, saying:
"Why are ye come out to set your battles in array? Am not I a Philistine and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be your servants, but if I prevail against him, then shall ye be our servants and serve us!" And he added in a mighty voice that rang through the valley:
"I defy the armies of Israel this day! Give me a man that we may fight together!"
Colossal and terrifying, the great monster stood, like a glittering mountain of power as the rays of the sun fell upon him, for he was over ten feet tall, and his coat of mail was as heavy as bags of gold would be, and shone like a mirror, and on his head was a huge helmet of bra.s.s, and even his mighty limbs were covered with shining metal. He carried a bra.s.s spear with a head heavier than that of ten ordinary spears, and the staff of it was as huge as a young birch tree, while before him walked the bearer of his shield, glittering too in the rays of the sun. A mighty monster, he, Goliath, the giant of Gath, as he faced the army of the Israelites and thundered forth his challenge to them to find a warrior bold enough to fight with him, and the Israelites were filled with fear as they saw him, and Saul"s heart was heavy with terror, and he at once offered great riches and the hand of his daughter to any warrior who would accept Goliath"s challenge. But for forty days not a man answered the challenge or attempted to win the reward offered by Saul.
Then David, who was still tending his father"s flocks, but whose three elder brothers were with the army of the Israelites, was sent by his father to carry supplies of food to them. Of course, David had heard much at home that interested him deeply in the armies and their manoeuvres, and now he could scarcely restrain his joy at the thought of seeing the encampments for himself, and he got up early the next morning and leaving his sheep with a keeper, set out gleefully, even though what he had to carry was a heavy burden, for he was taking a large quant.i.ty of parched corn and ten loaves of bread to his brothers, as well as ten cheeses to the captain of their division of the army.
But he was so happy at the change in his monotonous life that he did not mind the length of the journey nor the weight of his burden.
And when he saw the tents of the encampments lying before him, he thrilled with the courage and the desire of a born warrior, and quickly leaving his provisions with the keeper of supplies, he ran forward to the division of the camp where his brothers were, and eagerly greeted them, but they seemed not at all glad to see him, even though he had come to bring them sorely needed food.
Jealousy is one of the worst faults a person can have, and it is to be feared that David"s family all felt it and showed it for this youngest brother, who though a mere boy of seventeen, had received honours, and shown ability far beyond their own, instead of rejoicing in his good fortune, as they should have done.
But David was evidently accustomed to their manner, and was unconscious then of everything but his keen desire to know what the plans of the two armies were, and poured out question after question, without heeding the impatience of his brothers" answers.
And as he stood talking, there suddenly stood before him the glittering monster Goliath, and again his challenge rang through the valley; and as always when Goliath was seen or heard, the men of Israel turned away and fled in terror. But not so David. He was thrilled at the sight of the mighty giant and asked the men who stood by him:
"What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine and taketh away the reproach of Israel? For who is this Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living G.o.d?"
And the men answered him that Saul had promised riches and honour and his daughter"s hand in marriage to him who should kill Goliath.
And Eliab, David"s oldest brother, listened while David questioned the men, and being very angry at David"s presence, said bitterly:
"Why camest thou down hither, and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thy heart, for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle."
But David, instead of showing anger at such an unkind speech, merely answered:
"What have I _now_ done? Is there not a cause," and paying no further attention to Eliab, turned away, asking every man he met the same question he had asked before, until finally his persistency attracted so much attention, that Saul was told about this lad who was showing such unusual interest in the rewards to be given for facing Goliath in battle, and Saul at once sent for David, who by this time was flushed with excitement, and with the contagious enthusiasm of the battlefield, and he answered Saul like an old and mighty soldier.
"Let no man"s heart fail because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
Think of it, a slender inexperienced young shepherd lad taking up a challenge like that of Goliath!
Saul was astonished at David"s words, and exclaimed, "Thou art not able to go against this Philistine and fight him, for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth."
Throwing his shoulders back, and standing with head held high and eyes bright with determination, David answered proudly:
"I kept my father"s sheep, and there came a lion and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock, and I went out after him, and delivered it out of his mouth, and when he rose against me, I caught him by the beard and smote him and slew him. The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine."
For a moment Saul looked in silent awe at this brave young warrior--then in a voice trembling with admiration and with emotion, he said with solemn emphasis:
"Go, and the Lord be with thee."
And then roused by the contagion of David"s fearless enthusiasm, and by the excitement of trusting a mere boy to give battle to the great Goliath, Saul, with his own hand, dressed David in his own suit of armour for the encounter, giving him his heavy coat of mail, his glittering bra.s.s helmet, and even bound his own sword at David"s side.
At first David"s delight was great that he was wearing the armour of a real warrior. But when he tried to walk or run, the heavy coat of mail hindered him and the weight of the sword and helmet made him feel like a captive in chains, and at last he cast them off, saying to Saul:
"I cannot go with these."
And although Saul showed his consternation at this young champion of the Israelites against Goliath, going to battle without armour or sword, he made no attempt to persuade David into doing other than as he desired. And David stood before him again, this time, wearing his simple shepherd"s dress, and feeling both free and happy again. Then taking up his staff, he went to a near-by brook and from its bed picked out five smooth white stones,--notice how careful he was to choose smooth stones. These he put in a bag which hung at his side, and then with only his sling in his hand, he advanced towards the giant, who having heard that David had accepted his challenge, had advanced to meet him in all his power and show of glittering armour and weapons.
Now Goliath had not heard of David"s youth, and when he saw that his adversary was only a fair strong boy, the giant grew scornful, and seeing David"s staff and sling, he shouted contemptuously in a voice that rang from ridge to ridge, across the great valley:
"Am I a _dog_ that thou comest to me with stones?" adding:
"Come with me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the fields."
But David paid no heed to the scorn, but st.u.r.dy and strong he stood and faced Goliath, answering:
"Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield, but _I_ come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the G.o.d of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee with my hand and take thine head from thee, and I will give the carca.s.ses of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a G.o.d in Israel, and all this a.s.sembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord"s and he will give you into our hands."
A pretty long speech and a pretty decided statement to be made by a shepherd-boy--was it not? David"s positive a.s.surance that he could kill Goliath, and that G.o.d was with the army of Israel, showed the boy to be no ordinary boy, carried away by warlike enthusiasm.
Goliath heard with mighty contempt and anger, the retort of David and his taunt, and advanced in all his power and glory towards him, while David, never taking his eyes off the giant"s face, quietly put his hand in his bag, slowly took out one of the stones he had so carefully selected, and slung it with the unerring aim for which he was famous.
With fatal accuracy it struck Goliath between the eyes. The mighty giant groaned, and fell--slain by the hand of David, who, as he had no sword of his own, hastily knelt on Goliath"s body, drew his sword from its sheath, and with it cut off the giant"s head, and stripped him of his valuable armour, to carry to Bethlehem as a trophy.
[Ill.u.s.tration: _David and Goliath_]