In 1 Samuel 17:12, the writer introduces David into the story for the first time.
We learn in verses 12 to 16 that while Goliath had been bringing his challenge twice a day for forty days, David had been serving as a shepherd on his father’s farm in Bethlehem, some twenty kilometres away.
Like Saul, David had been chosen by God to be king over Israel. Unlike Saul, David knew God and believed his promises.
In 1 Samuel 17:12, the writer introduces David into the story for the first time. In doing so, the writer continues a contrast that has already been established between David and Saul.
1 & 2 Samuel trace the establishment of the monarchy in Israel. The books give a frank assessment of both Saul and David – highlighting their strengths and their weaknesses. In later passages, we will see that, like Saul, David had serious character flaws. He was later guilty of murder and adultery, and was head over a seriously dysfunctional family. However, one key fact distinguished David from Saul. David knew and trusted God. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God told Samuel that he had chosen David to be king for the quality of his heart. This importance of this distinction is made clear in the encounter with Goliath.
In verse 17, David’s father asked him to bring some supplies to his three older brothers, who were fighting for Saul. David was apparently keen to go because, in verse 20 he made arrangements for someone to care for the sheep and set off early in morning to visit the camp. When he arrived at the camp, David quickly disposed of the supplies and ran to the army ranks to find his brothers and catch up on the battle news. In this way, David was on the scene to hear Goliath repeat his challenge to the Israelite army.
Verse 23 tells us that, while David talked to his brothers, Goliath came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. But this time, David heard him.
Again the Israelites reacted in fear of Goliath, fleeing from him, but David’s reaction was quite different. David was shocked that this Philistine was stupid enough to defy God:
“who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
It is striking that David’s response was the first time anyone had mentioned God’s involvement in the battle. David saw the challenge as a challenge to God. Apparently, the other participants viewed the battle as an entirely human affair. No doubt the Philistines had gods that they worshipped, but Goliath’s challenge was issued to Saul and his men. The Israelites ought to have seen themselves as God’s people, but it seems they were not confident that God could actually help them.
David, on the other hand, viewed God as a real and active participant in the encounter. Where the others were terrified by the size of their human opponent, David was amazed that anyone could be so foolish as to challenge the living God.
The contrast between David and the other Israelites is seen in the reaction of his older brother Eliab. In anger, Eliab turned on David telling him to go back to tending his sheep. In essence, Eliab was telling David that he was too young and immature to have any idea of the way the world really works. We met Eliab last week in 1 Samuel 16:7, where he was described as tall and impressive. Perhaps some would have viewed him as another candidate to fight Goliath. Eliab, however, was apparently old enough and cynical enough to have reached the belief that God doesn’t really help his people. Perhap, Eliab was embarrassed because David’s naivety made Eliab look bad in front of his army buddies.
I can identify with Eliab, both as an older brother and as a cynic. I can think of times when I have felt embarrassed when younger friends have acted on their faith. Faith that I professed, but wasn’t showing. Sometimes even children can challenge us to show the courage of our convictions.
David had no such qualms. He must have known God’s promises, and believed God would honour them. We are told that David walked away from Eliab to further investigate Goliath’s challenge. Eventually, word of David made its way to Saul, who brought David to himself.
At this point, the contrast between Saul and David is clearly seen. In verse 32 David told Saul:
“Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
Saul’s response showed that he only saw the human characters in this battle:
“You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.”
Humanly speaking, Saul was clearly right. There was no reason to think that a youth like David could defeat a seasoned warrior of Goliath’s stature. David though, knew that he would not fight alone:
Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.
Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.
The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.
David looked to God to vindicate his people. We have in the Psalms an insight into the heart and mind of David. There he recorded his innermost thoughts and fears in poetic form. Psalm 56 recounts David’s mental state in another later encounter with the Philistines. In that Psalm David wrote of his faith in God:
Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;
my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly.
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
God had promised to protect his people from their enemies. David believed God would do so. David trusted God. He expected God to defend his people. Saul neither knew nor trusted God. His concern was all about the kingdom of Saul. He had no sovereign God to call upon for aid.
The stage then was set for God to act through His servant David. In our next post, we will look at the battle itself, and see how David’s faith enabled him to be used by God to fight Goliath.
