ngry at what they thought foolish bravado on the
part of David; but there were others who reported his words to Saul,
who forthwith sent for the lad. Then David amazed the king by boldly
offering to go and fight with the Philistine.

"And Saul said to David, 'Thou art not able to go against this
Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man
of war from his youth.' And David said unto Saul, 'Thy servant kept
his 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 smote him, and
delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught
him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both
the lion and the bear.... The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of
the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of
the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul said unto David, 'Go, and the
Lord be with thee.'

[Illustration: DAVID. _Academy of Fine Arts, Florence._]

"And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass
upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded
his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not
proved it. And David said unto Saul, 'I cannot go with these; for I
have not proved them.' And David put them off him. And he took his
staff in his hand and chose him five smooth stones out of the
brook,... and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the
Philistine....

"And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained
him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance....
And the Philistine said to David, 'Come to me, and I will give thy
flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.' Then
said David to the Philistine, '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 God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite
thee, and take thine head from thee.' ...

"And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew
nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet
the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a
stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that
the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the
earth. So David prevailed over the Philisti