WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.140 Ethan: Welcome to Immerse: the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:03.257 --> 00:00:04.547 Day 100 and 91 00:00:05.149 --> 00:00:09.739 the Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Soco 00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:11.979 in Judah and Ezekiah at Ephesdamim. 00:00:13.894 --> 00:00:18.764 Saul countered by gathering his Israelite troops near the valley of Elah. 00:00:19.504 --> 00:00:23.154 So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, 00:00:23.554 --> 00:00:24.894 with the valley between them. 00:00:26.194 --> 00:00:30.994 Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine 00:00:31.004 --> 00:00:33.264 ranks to face the forces of Israel. 00:00:33.864 --> 00:00:36.014 He was over nine feet tall. 00:00:36.594 --> 00:00:42.274 He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. 00:00:43.099 --> 00:00:48.029 He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. 00:00:48.709 --> 00:00:52.109 The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver's 00:00:52.129 --> 00:00:56.429 beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed fifteen pounds. 00:00:57.089 --> 00:01:00.299 His armor bearer walked ahead of him, carrying a shield. 00:01:01.279 --> 00:01:05.299 Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. 00:01:05.989 --> 00:01:08.069 Why are you all coming out to fight? 00:01:08.309 --> 00:01:08.869 He called. 00:01:09.409 --> 00:01:13.639 I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. 00:01:14.259 --> 00:01:16.829 Choose one man to come down here and fight me. 00:01:17.369 --> 00:01:20.069 If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. 00:01:20.709 --> 00:01:23.399 But if I kill him, you will be our slaves. 00:01:23.949 --> 00:01:26.279 I defy the armies of Israel today. 00:01:26.519 --> 00:01:28.519 Send me a man who will fight me. 00:01:29.609 --> 00:01:34.269 When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken. 00:01:35.739 --> 00:01:40.459 Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from 00:01:40.469 --> 00:01:42.369 Bethlehem in the land of Judah. 00:01:43.189 --> 00:01:46.799 Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons. 00:01:47.489 --> 00:01:53.749 Jesse's three oldest sons, Eliab, Abinadab, and Shimeah, had already joined 00:01:53.749 --> 00:01:55.939 Saul's army to fight the Philistines. 00:01:56.624 --> 00:01:58.094 David was the youngest son. 00:01:58.764 --> 00:02:02.834 David's three oldest brothers stayed with Saul's army, but David went 00:02:02.834 --> 00:02:06.284 back and forth so he could help his father with the sheep in Bethlehem. 00:02:07.464 --> 00:02:11.884 For forty days, every morning and evening, the Philistine champions 00:02:11.894 --> 00:02:13.824 strutted in front of the Israelite army. 00:02:14.884 --> 00:02:19.374 One day Jesse said to David, Take this basket of roasted grain and 00:02:19.374 --> 00:02:23.024 these ten loaves of bread, and carry them quickly to your brothers. 00:02:23.494 --> 00:02:27.734 And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain, see how your brothers 00:02:27.734 --> 00:02:31.034 are getting along, and bring back a report on how they're doing. 00:02:32.014 --> 00:02:35.524 David's brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the Valley of 00:02:35.534 --> 00:02:38.154 Elah, fighting against the Philistines. 00:02:39.394 --> 00:02:42.614 So David left the sheep with another shepherd, and set out 00:02:42.644 --> 00:02:46.174 early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. 00:02:47.054 --> 00:02:50.544 He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the 00:02:50.544 --> 00:02:53.104 battlefield, with shouts and battle cries. 00:02:53.944 --> 00:02:57.134 Soon, the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing 00:02:57.134 --> 00:02:59.234 each other, army against army. 00:03:00.104 --> 00:03:03.654 David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out 00:03:03.654 --> 00:03:05.314 to the ranks to greet his brothers. 00:03:06.079 --> 00:03:10.409 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, 00:03:10.839 --> 00:03:12.759 came out from the Philistine ranks. 00:03:13.349 --> 00:03:17.119 Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel. 00:03:18.099 --> 00:03:22.299 As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright. 00:03:23.139 --> 00:03:24.489 Have you seen the giant? 00:03:24.704 --> 00:03:25.394 The man asked. 00:03:26.014 --> 00:03:28.604 He comes out each day to defy Israel. 00:03:29.214 --> 00:03:32.334 The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. 00:03:32.844 --> 00:03:37.454 He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife and the man's entire family 00:03:37.454 --> 00:03:39.544 will be exempted from paying taxes. 00:03:40.734 --> 00:03:44.724 David asked the soldier standing nearby, what will a man get 00:03:44.734 --> 00:03:47.924 for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? 00:03:48.494 --> 00:03:52.494 Who is this pagan Philistine anyway that he is allowed to defy 00:03:52.504 --> 00:03:54.054 the armies of the living God? 00:03:54.994 --> 00:03:57.264 And these men gave David the same reply. 00:03:57.799 --> 00:04:01.249 They said, yes, that is the reward for killing him. 00:04:02.559 --> 00:04:06.049 But when David's oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking 00:04:06.049 --> 00:04:07.409 to the men, he was angry. 00:04:08.089 --> 00:04:10.069 What are you doing around here anyway? 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:11.009 He demanded. 00:04:11.529 --> 00:04:14.299 What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? 00:04:14.899 --> 00:04:16.729 I know about your pride and deceit. 00:04:16.739 --> 00:04:17.909 You just want to see the battle. 00:04:19.264 --> 00:04:20.544 What have I done now? 00:04:20.844 --> 00:04:21.684 David replied. 00:04:22.084 --> 00:04:23.934 I was only asking a question. 00:04:24.804 --> 00:04:27.644 He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing 00:04:27.644 --> 00:04:29.104 and received the same answer. 00:04:29.904 --> 00:04:34.234 Then David's question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him. 00:04:35.234 --> 00:04:38.284 Don't worry about this, Philistine, David told Saul. 00:04:38.714 --> 00:04:39.604 I'll go fight him. 00:04:40.534 --> 00:04:42.764 Don't be ridiculous, Saul replied. 00:04:43.354 --> 00:04:46.604 There's no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win. 00:04:47.094 --> 00:04:50.734 You're only a boy, and he's been a man of war since his youth. 00:04:51.884 --> 00:04:53.004 But David persisted. 00:04:53.644 --> 00:04:57.174 I have been taking care of my father's sheep and goats, he said. 00:04:57.914 --> 00:05:02.724 When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a 00:05:02.724 --> 00:05:05.314 club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. 00:05:05.954 --> 00:05:09.894 If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 00:05:10.504 --> 00:05:14.104 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this 00:05:14.124 --> 00:05:18.374 pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God. 00:05:19.014 --> 00:05:23.144 The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will 00:05:23.144 --> 00:05:25.014 rescue me from this Philistine. 00:05:26.084 --> 00:05:27.624 Saul finally consented. 00:05:28.299 --> 00:05:32.299 All right, go ahead, he said, and may the Lord be with you. 00:05:33.649 --> 00:05:38.279 Then Saul gave David his own armor, a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. 00:05:39.149 --> 00:05:43.069 David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two 00:05:43.069 --> 00:05:46.629 to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. 00:05:47.549 --> 00:05:50.509 I can't go in these, he protested to Saul. 00:05:50.889 --> 00:05:51.889 I'm not used to them. 00:05:52.919 --> 00:05:54.379 So David took them off again. 00:05:54.999 --> 00:05:59.749 He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into a shepherd's bag. 00:06:00.289 --> 00:06:05.159 Then, armed only with his shepherd's staff and sling, he started across 00:06:05.169 --> 00:06:07.029 the valley to fight the Philistine. 00:06:08.389 --> 00:06:12.709 Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, sneering 00:06:12.709 --> 00:06:14.879 in contempt at this ruddy faced boy. 00:06:15.629 --> 00:06:16.739 Am I a dog? 00:06:17.099 --> 00:06:18.109 he roared at David. 00:06:18.409 --> 00:06:20.129 That you come at me with a stick? 00:06:20.849 --> 00:06:23.389 And he cursed David by the names of his gods. 00:06:24.009 --> 00:06:27.609 Come over here and I'll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals. 00:06:28.104 --> 00:06:32.364 Goliath yelled David replied to the Philistine. 00:06:32.944 --> 00:06:38.304 You come to me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name 00:06:38.304 --> 00:06:42.924 of the Lord of heaven's armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have 00:06:42.924 --> 00:06:48.914 defied Today, the Lord will conquer you and I will kill you and cut off your head. 00:06:49.444 --> 00:06:53.254 And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild 00:06:53.254 --> 00:06:57.784 animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 00:06:58.484 --> 00:07:01.524 And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues His 00:07:01.524 --> 00:07:04.134 people, but not with sword and spear. 00:07:04.804 --> 00:07:08.414 This is the Lord's battle, and He will give you to us. 00:07:09.799 --> 00:07:14.299 As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. 00:07:15.049 --> 00:07:18.229 Reaching into his shepherd's bag and taking out a stone, he 00:07:18.229 --> 00:07:21.819 hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. 00:07:22.489 --> 00:07:27.569 The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. 00:07:28.329 --> 00:07:31.699 So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and 00:07:31.699 --> 00:07:33.799 a stone, for he had no sword. 00:07:34.529 --> 00:07:37.819 Then David ran over and pulled Goliath's sword from its sheath. 00:07:38.689 --> 00:07:41.539 David used it to kill him and cut off his head. 00:07:42.589 --> 00:07:46.319 When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran. 00:07:46.859 --> 00:07:51.299 Then the men of Israel and Judah gave a great shout of triumph and rushed 00:07:51.299 --> 00:07:56.204 after the Philistines, chasing them as far as Gath, And the gates of Akron. 00:07:56.924 --> 00:08:01.064 The bodies of the dead and wounded Philistines were strewn all along the 00:08:01.064 --> 00:08:04.274 road from Sharam as far as gaff and Akron. 00:08:05.024 --> 00:08:09.554 Then the Israelite army returned and plundered the deserted Philistine camp. 00:08:10.344 --> 00:08:13.964 David took the Philistine's head to Jerusalem, but he stored the 00:08:13.964 --> 00:08:15.884 man's armor in his own tent. 00:08:17.294 --> 00:08:20.954 As Saul watched David go out to fight the Philistine, he asked 00:08:20.954 --> 00:08:25.954 Abner, the commander of his army, Abner, whose son is this young man. 00:08:26.804 --> 00:08:27.794 I really don't know. 00:08:28.129 --> 00:08:32.649 Abner declared, Well, find out who he is, the king told him. 00:08:33.819 --> 00:08:38.829 As soon as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul with 00:08:38.829 --> 00:08:40.919 the Philistine's head still in his hand. 00:08:41.689 --> 00:08:44.399 Tell me about your father, young man, Saul said. 00:08:45.129 --> 00:08:50.059 And David replied, His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem. 00:08:50.059 --> 00:08:55.989 After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king's son. 00:08:56.829 --> 00:09:00.779 There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David. 00:09:01.469 --> 00:09:05.739 From that day on, Saul kept David with him and wouldn't let him return home. 00:09:06.604 --> 00:09:10.064 And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he 00:09:10.064 --> 00:09:11.844 loved him as he loved himself. 00:09:12.674 --> 00:09:17.354 Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together 00:09:17.354 --> 00:09:20.574 with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt. 00:09:21.604 --> 00:09:25.544 Whatever Saul asked David to do, David did it successfully. 00:09:26.234 --> 00:09:30.114 So Saul made him a commander over the men of war, an appointment 00:09:30.114 --> 00:09:31.724 that was welcomed by the people. 00:09:35.799 --> 00:09:38.649 This concludes today's Immerse Reading Experience. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:39.989 Thank you for joining us.