Bible Stories

The verse anchor

"For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands."

1 Samuel 17:47 · King James Bible

The story

There was a boy named David. He was the youngest of eight brothers, and he watched his father's sheep in the fields near a little town called Bethlehem.

One day David's father sent him to the army camp with bread and cheese for his older brothers, who were soldiers.

When David got there, the whole army was afraid. A giant from the enemy — his name was Goliath — was standing on the other side of the valley shouting. He was over nine feet tall. He wore a helmet of brass, a coat of mail, and armour on his legs. His spear was as thick as a weaver's beam. For forty days he had come out morning and evening, shouting for someone to fight him.

Every soldier of Israel was afraid. Even King Saul was afraid. But David was not afraid.

David said, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" David told the king, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

The king tried to put his own big armour on David. It was too heavy. David took it off. He picked up his shepherd's staff, chose five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in his little bag. Then he took his sling in his hand and walked toward the giant.

Goliath laughed when he saw David — a boy with a stick! Goliath said, "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?" He cursed David by his gods.

But David answered him: "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. For the battle is the Lord's."

David reached into his bag, took a stone, put it in his sling, and slung it. The stone flew and struck Goliath in the forehead. The giant fell face down on the ground.

The Philistines saw that their giant was dead, and they ran away. Israel was saved. And a shepherd boy went home that night knowing that God had fought the battle for him.

One thing we learn

The people around David were bigger and stronger. But David trusted the Lord. When we are afraid of something big — a bully at school, a hard test, a scary night — we can pray, like David did, and remember: the battle is the Lord's.

Memory verse

Say it three times before bed. In seven days you will know it forever.

A prayer

Beneath the story · for grown-ups

To read this whole passage in the King James Bible with your child, or to walk further with the household:

• David — in the Atlas
• Bethlehem — where David was born
• Psalm 23 — David's shepherd Psalm
• More Bible stories for children