Where David Slew Goliath

Low ridges, the color of flesh, flank this broad field – living flesh, living bodies, living battles, with the camp on the left spared and victorious by a faith rooted in God on high. “I defy you in the name of the living God,” hollered David, as he walked from the narrow streambed running along the base of the Israelite ridge, with five smooth stones in his bag.

Goliath charged down the opposing ridge, across the broad field of dark mud laden with swaying hay, through the grasses blowing gently as they raised glorious heads above all.


The base of the Israelite ridge, and part of the field.


Part of the Philistine ridge; the field where they fought was to the left. Presumably the camps of the armies went back quite a bit.

A boy threw a stone, and a worshiper of pagan gods, rich in human strength, was slammed forever to the ground. And so David climbed up the long dirt path winding into the Israelite camp, toward King Saul, and the heap of armor discarded by this boy of passionate faith, in a God that scoffs at mortals armor.

Where David Slew Goliath Spirituals
Armor? Who, indeed, needs armor, when they have the Living God fighting for them? Nary a soul, as Paul cried in a letter written thousands of years ago: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

It is odd to see this field, where it all took place - this field of might, faith and power from on high, that conquers every one of my battles.

Every one of my battles that I surrender, that is. Are you letting Him conquer yours, or are you trying to slay Goliath with your own aim and might?

Shepherds Food
1 Samuel 17:17-19 - Now Jesse said to his son David, "Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. [e] See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance [f] from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines."

Seed stored after drying or parching saved better than undried kernels or kernels ground and baked into bread. David's father was telling him to take ten loaves of bread and roughly 5.5 gallons of dried kernels to his brothers.

The kernels, which preserved well because of their tight husks and the lack of moisture inside, would have been soaked and ground for several hours before they could be made into bread.

The Scripture: Shepherds, Angels and a Baby Messiah
Luke 2:7b-15 - [Mary] wrapped [the newborn Jesus] in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

Shepherds? Yuck!
In David’s time the land wasn’t as crowded as it was in Jesus’ time, and shepherds were still of some value. By Jesus’ time, they were outcasts, particularly in crowded areas like Bethlehem. They stunk, for one, and for two they required land that others wanted. Because they lived in the fields sometimes, they were far from the religious education offered to many Jewish boys in Jesus’ time (or soon thereafter – this is debateable). Any girl not betrothed by 15 or so may have been resigned to the likes of a shepherd.