162 BOYS OF THE BIBLE.

the armies of Israel this day; give mc a man, that we may
fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard those
words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly
afraid. David is sent with provisions to the camp of his
brothers, and then follows the whole romantic story.

Dr. W. M. Taylor, in his ‘David, King of Israel,”
gives a graphic and instructive account of the whole
encounter :-—

“David, young as he was, was astonished at what he
saw and heard. Apparently he had no fear of the giant,
but he did wonder at the craven-heartedness of his fellow-
countrymen. He asked again and again into the particulars,
and was so specially minute in his inquiries about what Saul
had promised to the victor, that his eldest brother began to
surmise that he was himself purposing to accept the chal-
lenge, and said to him, in a ‘sneering, cynical, elder-brotherly
fashion, ‘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 thine heart; for thou art
come down that thou mightest see the battle.’

“But David did not allow himself to be provoked; he
ruled his spirit for the time—a harder task and a yet nobler
achievement even than the conquest of the giant—and he
simply said, ‘What have I now done? Is there not a
cause?? At length, however, as he talked with one and
another, the report spread out that there was one who
would fight the giant, and finally it was told to Saul, who
sent for him, and sought to dissuade him from his purpose,
saying, ‘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.’

“But the young shepherd was not to be daunted thus.