e had also a lance of six hundred shekels; and many
followed him to carry his armor. Wherefore this Goliath stood between
the two armies, as they were in battle array, and sent out aloud voice,
and said to Saul and the Hebrews, "I will free you from fighting and
from dangers; for what necessity is there that your army should fall and
be afflicted? Give me a man of you that will fight with me, and he that
conquers shall have the reward of the conqueror and determine the war;
for these shall serve those others to whom the conqueror shall belong;
and certainly it is much better, and more prudent, to gain what you
desire by the hazard of one man than of all." When he had said this, he
retired to his own camp; but the next day he came again, and used the
same words, and did not leave off for forty days together, to challenge
the enemy in the same words, till Saul and his army were therewith
terrified, while they put themselves in array as if they would fight,
but did not come to a close battle.

2. Now while this war between the Hebrews and the Philistines was going
on, Saul sent away David to his father Jesse, and contented himself with
those three sons of his whom he had sent to his assistance, and to be
partners in the dangers of the war: and at first David returned to feed
his sheep and his flocks; but after no long time he came to the camp of
the Hebrews, as sent by his father, to carry provisions to his brethren,
and to know what they were doing. While Goliath came again, and
challenged them, and reproached them, that they had no man of valor
among them that durst come down to fight him; and as David was talking
with his brethren about the business for which his father had sent
him, he heard the Philistine reproaching and abusing the army, and had
indignation at it, and said to his brethren, "I am ready to fight a
single combat with this adversary." Whereupon Eliab, his eldest brother,
reproved him, and said that he spoke too rashly and improperly for one
of his age, and bid him go to his flocks, and to his father. So he was
abashed at his brother's words, and went away, but still he spake
to some of the soldiers that he was willing to fight with him that
challenged them. And when they had informed Saul what was the resolution
of the young man, the king sent for him to come to him: and when the
king asked what he had to say, he replied, "O king, be not cast down,
nor afraid, for I will depress the insolence of this adve