176 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

of the tribe of Judah, there lived at this time a very old
man, named Jesse. He had eight sons, the three
eldest of whom were in the army of Saul. One day
Jesse called to him his youngest son, David, and told
him to go to the camp to see how his brethren were,
and carry some provisions—some bread and corn to
them, and some cheeses to their captain. Early the
next morning David rose. He gave the sheep he was
in the habit of tending into the care of a keeper. He
took the provisions of which his father had spoken,
went to the camp, and arrived there as the armies were
preparing to engage. David left his baggage behind
him, and ran eagerly forward to salute his brethren.
While he was talking with them, forward came the
champion Goliath, and spoke the same words he had
been in the habit of saying. David heard, and so did
all the soldiers of Israel, who, although they might have
been accustomed by this time to the sight of the for-
midable Philistine, yet could not see him without turn-
ing to flee. They told David that whoever of the men
of Israel killed the giant, the king had promised to
endow him with great riches, to give him his daughter
to wife, and to bestow great privileges on his father’s
house. Indignantly the son of Jesse exclaimed, “ Who
+s this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the
armies of the living God?” Angrily spoke his eldest
brother Eliab to the young shepherd. “ Why camest
thou down hither ? and with whom hast thou left these
few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and