When King Saul heard these words, he was dismayed, and all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid.  David heard them talking among themselves, whispering and murmuring.  They were saying, “Have ye seen this man that is come up?  Surely if any one killeth him that man will the king make rich; perhaps he will give him his daughter in marriage, and make his family free in Israel!”

David heard this, and he asked the men if it were so.  It was surely so, they said.

“But,” said David, “who is this Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” And he was stirred with anger.

Very soon, some of the officers told the king about the youth who was asking so many questions, and who said that a mere Philistine should not be let defy the armies of the living God.  Immediately Saul sent for him.  When David came before Saul, he said to the king, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

But Saul looked at David, and said, “Thou art not able to go against this Philistine, to fight with him, for thou art but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.”

Then David said to Saul, “Once I was keeping 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 the lion, and struck him, and delivered the lamb out of his mouth, and when he arose against me, I caught him by the beard, and struck him, and slew him!  Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear; and this Philistine shall be as one of them, for he hath defied the armies of the living God.  The Lord, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.”

“Go,” said Saul, “and the Lord be with thee!”

And he armed David with his own armor, —­he put a helmet of brass upon his head, and armed him with a coat of mail.  But when David girded his sword upon his armor, and tried to walk, he said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I am not used to them.”  And he put them off.

Then he took his staff in his hand and went and chose five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had; and his sling was in his hand; and he went out and drew near to the Philistine.

And the Philistine came on and drew near to David; and the man that bore his shield went before him.  And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him, for David was but a boy, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.  And he said to David, “Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with a cudgel?” And with curses he cried out again, “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.”