1 Samuel 17
God Controlled, Motivated, and Guided David
When David was brought before Israel’s monarch, Saul tried to talk him out of what appeared to be a foolish course of action (vv. 31-33). Human logic might have implied that he was embarking on a fool’s errand, but his confidence in the God of his fathers was so strong it assured him of …
Goliath’s (and David’s) Challenge to Israel
Sometime later the armies of Israel and the Philistines faced each other across the Valley of Elah (vv. 1-2), a wide valley approximately 15 miles southwest of Jerusalem (v. 3). The two armies decided on a contest of champions to determine victory. The Philistines chose Goliath, a nine-foot …
David sees a mortal man defying God
Three of David’s brothers have gone off to fight in Saul’s army against the Philistines (v. 13). David is introduced once more as the youngest son of Jesse, who has eight boys (v. 14). David had been playing his harp for Saul but had gone home to Bethlehem to take care of his fat …