alone, for although Jesse had eight sons and two daughters, and they
were no longer children, the Eastern custom forbade a man's family to
enter his presence unless he expressly asked them to do so. And so
Samuel and Jesse were alone together, until Samuel asked Jesse if he
had no sons. Jesse replied that he had, and Samuel then requested to
see them. It was natural for a father to be pleased at such a request
and Jesse at once sent for Eliab, his eldest son, who promptly came
into the presence of his father and the aged Prophet, and Samuel looked
earnestly at the tall, handsome fellow, but a voice within him told
Samuel that Eliab was not the king-to-be, and after a brief talk with
the young man, he was dismissed, and Jesse called another and then
another of his sons, until Samuel had seen seven of them, but the
prophet only shook his head as he saw each one of them, for the voice
of inspiration or instinct said within him:
"Neither hath the Lord chosen this." Then Samuel turned once more to
Jesse and asked:
"Are here all thy children?" And Jesse answered reluctantly:
"There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold he keepeth the sheep."
Then Samuel bade Jesse send for David, which he did, and David, who was
as usual roaming with his flock in the Judean pasture-land, was greatly
surprised to see a messenger coming to him in breathless haste, and
still more was he surprised to receive his father's message that he was
to come home at once, as the prophet Samuel had asked to see him before
leaving. It was an unexpected command, but young David was always ready
for any emergency, and so, simply taking up his shepherd's staff, which
was a long stick with a handle crooked in such a way that by its aid
David could examine the limbs of his flock, or roll a sheep over with
it, when unruly and without further preparation, David accompanied the
messenger, although filled with wonder as to the reason for being
summoned to appear before the aged prophet Samuel.
See him as he enters his home and stands before Samuel, red-cheeked,
fair-skinned, glowing with health and happiness, with arms strong
enough to break a bow of steel, and with limbs like a deer's in their
swiftness to escape a foe or to scale a wall. Sturdy and fearless he
stood before Samuel, the picture of youthful vigour and courage, and
when Samuel had scarcely more than glanced at him, the voice of God
spoke within the prophet saying:
"Arise, anoint him, for this is he."
Then Samuel rose with simple earnestness and laid a hand on David's
shoulder, looking long and solemnly into the clear bright eyes which
answered his glance, then more solemnly still, Samuel took up the horn
of oil which he had brought with him, and with the customary ceremony,
anointed David, the fair-haired young shepherd boy, to be the future
King of Israel. As only kings were anointed and Samuel always performed
this ceremony, Jesse could not have failed to understand the solemn
rite, although he must have marvelled over it, wondering why it should
be performed over this, his youngest and least important son.
Doubtless, although the Bible narrative does not tell us so, the aged
prophet later spoke to Jesse of the meaning of his act, and one can
imagine Jesse's flutter of heart at the thought that one of his boys
should have been chosen to fill such a great position. David also,
young as he was, must have understood in some measure what the ceremony
meant, although he must have been completely at a loss to understand
how he, a mere child, could be the Lord's anointed. Probably, like any
other boy of to-day, he wanted to ask questions, but there was not the
freedom allowed young people in those days that there is now and David,
looking from the awe-struck face of his father, to the solemn one of
the prophet, doubtless kept silent. Then with an appropriately
reverential farewell to the aged prophet he must have been sent from
the presence of Jesse and Samuel, sent back again to his accustomed
task and to await the fulfilling of that destiny which, from the moment
when he thrilled at the touch of the prophet's hand on his head, and
the sound of his solemn words, he felt sure was in some way to link his
life in consecrated service to that of the people of Israel.
But that belief did not alter his conduct in his daily routine of duty,
and with the faithfulness which was one of his marked characteristics,
he continued to care for his sheep, tending them with increased
watchfulness under the stimulus of his new day-dream.
And from that moment David had unconsciously taken the motto which was
his through all his adventurous life:
"I shall not raise my hand against the Lord's anointed."
From that hour when he went back to tend his sheep, after Samuel's
visit, to the time when his destiny was fulfilled, David, even under
the stress of fierce temptation, never moved a finger to hasten events;
never tried to force his way to the throne of Israel, but with buoyant
courage, did his duty day by day, and the monotony of his early
shepherd's life was varied only by an occasional unexpected adventure.
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 ass 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 sturdy 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 circumstances 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
passion and melancholy had been entirely overcome. Then, in the same
spirit of unquestioning obedience as he showed before to the call of
circumstances, 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
brass, and even his mighty limbs were covered with shining metal. He
carried a brass 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 quantity 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 God?"
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 brass 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 sturdy 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 God 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
carcasses 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
God in Israel, and all this assembly 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 assurance that he could kill
Goliath, and that God 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.
[Illustration: _David and Goliath_]
David, so young, so inexperienced in the art of war, had killed the
champion of the enemy. It seemed incredible. Through the ranks of both
armies the news spread like wildfire, and when the Philistines realised
what had happened, they were so terrified for fear of what might
follow, that they fled, with the victorious Israelites in hot pursuit,
who with cheers and shouts and great slaughter pursued them to the
nearest city, and then returned to despoil the tents of the vanquished
enemy, singing loud songs of triumph.
And then David, flushed with victory, came before Saul carrying with
him the head of the giant. It is easy to picture Saul's absolute
astonishment when he realised that the conquering hero of his army was
this mere youth, so unlike his other warriors.
But he talked long and eagerly with David, asking all sorts of
questions about his manner of slaying Goliath, and while they talked,
Jonathan, Saul's son, stood near them, listening and watching, and as
he heard David's stirring tale of victory, he was filled with
admiration for the boy who had done such a mighty deed; and, in that
instant, as the Bible says, "the soul of Jonathan was knit with the
soul of David," and the friendship of David and Jonathan was begun.
David's eyes flashed back an answering glance of interest to the King's
son, and there was a quick response of each to the other. And that
being so, you can imagine the joy of both the youths when Saul told
David that he was to go no more home to his father's house to tend his
flocks, but was to be thereafter his armour-bearer, or the member of
his household who came into the closest relation with the king. On
hearing this great piece of news, David glanced proudly at Jonathan,
and Jonathan at once led David away and took from him his shepherd's
dress, and clothed him in his own garments, giving him even his girdle
and his sword, which was the greatest honour he could have conferred on
David, the sign that he felt David had, by his courageous act, proved
himself more worthy to be the heir to a throne, than he, the king's own
son, was. And, too, he felt such a thrill of affection for this new
friend, David, that he could not help doing something to show it. And
then and always, Jonathan's friendship for David was absolutely free
from all taint of jealousy, and he always stood aside, that honours
might be heaped upon his friend, even those which by the rights of
inheritance, should have been his own.
And so David began his new life at the court of Saul, with Jonathan,
his new friend, and the first happy days passed only too quickly. David
went out wherever Saul sent him, doing the King's bidding so well and
so wisely that Saul set him in command over his men of war, who all
gladly obeyed David. Although he was so young, he ruled so tactfully
that all the people, and even Saul's ministers grew more and more fond
of the youth who had killed Goliath, while Jonathan rejoiced in every
honour paid to his friend, and had not one bit of envy in his heart,
that David was so popular and so powerful. But Saul was less noble in
nature than Jonathan his son was, and when one day, not long after
David had killed Goliath, the men, women and children from all the
cities of Israel, trooped out to meet King Saul, singing and dancing
and playing musical instruments in celebration of David's victory, and
the women sang--
"Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands."
This made Saul very angry and very jealous, for it was a revelation of
the strength of the national feeling against him, and as he heard the
shrill chant he exclaimed with fierce jealousy:
"They have ascribed unto David his ten thousands and to me they have
ascribed but thousands, and what can _he_ have more but the kingdom?"
From that moment, Saul was never fond of David, but always bitterly
envious of him, and watched to see how and when he could do the lad an
injury.