The Bible Story Part 84

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BETHLEHEM

This is a picture of the village as seen close at hand, the Church of the Nativity in the foreground.

"Seated on the summit level of the hill country of Judah, with deep gorges descending east to the Dead Sea, and west to the plains of Philistia, the shepherds of Bethlehem had to contend not only with bears and lions, but also with human enemies, the Philistines on the west, and Arab robbers on the east. They would therefore from childhood be accustomed to bear fatigue, hunger, heat and cold, both by night and by day, and also to brave every kind of danger and fight with every kind of antagonist. Thus the youthful David learned to sling stones when he led his father's flocks over the hills, and thus was he prepared to conquer Goliath; and so, too, by defending his charge against lions and bears, he learned to face lion-like men in war and conquer them."--"_The Land and the Book_"

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STORIES OF DAVID

THE SHEPHERD BOY WHO KILLED A GIANT

Cubit.

A measure used in Bible lands, thought to be about nineteen inches. The span was another measure, about half a cubit.

According to this, the height of Goliath was about ten feet. A very tall giant indeed!

Greaves Armor for the legs.

Target A round s.h.i.+eld.

Weaver's Beam The heavy round piece of wood used in old looms.

Once upon a time there lived in the little village of Bethlehem among the hills of Judea, a shepherd lad whose name was David. Every day he led his flock of sheep to the greenest pasture and then watered them at the still pools of water.

This work was very pleasant when the weather was fair and warm, but sometimes it grows very cold in the hill country of Judea. The wind blows and the ground is covered with snow. Sometimes the shepherd is forced to stay out all night with his flock. Sometimes a lamb {140} is lost, and the shepherd has to search all night in the darkness, along dangerous paths in the hills. Sometimes wild beasts attack the flock and the shepherd must beat them off. Sometimes the wild people of the East try to carry off the sheep, and the shepherd is in danger of his life.

But this hard work and constant danger made David a strong, brave boy.

He grew very skillful with the sling, which was a weapon much used in those days. With it even a boy could throw a stone very hard and far. Once when he was keeping the flock, a bear came to steal a lamb, and, at another time, a mountain lion, and David killed them both.

While David was still no more than a big boy, war broke out between his country and the Philistines. These people lived in the lower country to the west of Judea, and the two nations were very often at war. This time the two armies camped on opposite sides of a narrow valley.

The Philistines had a giant in their army, who used to come out every day and challenge anyone in the army of the Israelites to fight. This is how the giant is described:--

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WATER WORKS IN OLD PHILISTIA

From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by her kind permission.

This unusual picture was taken at the village of Yebnah, between.

Jaffa and Ashdod, in the country of old Philistia. The camel is harnessed to a pole, and, walking in a circle, turns the clumsy machinery which lifts the water from the well.

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"And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had a helmet of bra.s.s upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and he had greaves of bra.s.s upon his legs, and a target of bra.s.s between his shoulders, and the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and a servant bearing a s.h.i.+eld went before him."

Every day this great giant came out before the army and shouted out his challenge. "Choose you a man for you," he cried, "and let him come to me. If he be able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall ye be our servants and serve us."

What a terrible sight he must have been with the sun s.h.i.+ning on his bright bra.s.s armor, and his great roaring voice, which echoed among the hills! It is no wonder that the whole army of the Israelites was afraid, and that no champion was brave enough to come out to meet him.

All this time David was at home taking care of the sheep. He had three older brothers who were away with the army, but David was thought too young to be a soldier. It must have {144} been very hard for such a brave boy to stay at home, but he was a good boy as well as a brave one, and he patiently did his work.

One day David's mother had made some very nice bread, and some cheese, and she remembered that the boys in camp would have very poor food. So David's father said he might go up to camp and take some roasted corn and the bread to his brothers, and he sent, too, ten cheeses to the captain of the boys' company.

David was delighted to go. He came quickly to the camp, and, leaving his bread, and corn, and cheese with a servant in the rear, went right up to the front where the line of battle was intrenched. He was just in time to see Goliath come out and shout his challenge. Just then David's oldest brother caught sight of him, and thought he had run away from home to see the battle.

"What are you doing here, David?" he shouted angrily. "Why have you left that little flock of sheep to be eaten up by wild beasts in the pastures? You are a naughty boy, and you have just come here to see the battle."

David replied, "What have I done now? Isn't there a good reason why I have come?"

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AN EASTERN SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP

From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton, and used by her kind permission.

This is an exceptionally fine picture of a flock of sheep and their shepherd as they appear in the country of the Bible. This picture was taken in the springtime on the beautiful plain of Sharon which borders the seacoast from Joppa to Mt. Carmel. The prophet Isaiah says, "Sharon shall be a pasturage for flocks." The picture shows how the whole plain is carpeted with bright colored flowers.

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And there was good reason, when no one in all the army was brave enough to fight Goliath.

David went to king Saul, who was the general of the army, and offered to fight the giant. The king was very much surprised, and told him he was only a boy, while the giant had been a soldier for many years.

But David told Saul how he had killed the lion and the bear, and said that the G.o.d who helped him in his fight with these wild beasts would help him in his fight with the giant.

Then Saul allowed him to try, and offered him a suit of armor. David tried it on, but it was not what the shepherd boy had been used to wear, so he would not take it.

He went down to the brook and picked out five smooth, round stones, just right for his sling. Then, with his shepherd's staff and bag and his sling, he went out of the lines of the army to meet the giant.

When the great giant saw the shepherd lad, he laughed, and then he grew very angry.

"Am I a dog," he said, "that you come to fight me with a shepherd's stick? Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field."

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Then little David answered, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a s.h.i.+eld: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the G.o.d of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied."

Then Goliath marched forward in all his bra.s.s armor to kill David; and David ran, too, straight toward the giant. When he was at the right distance he put a stone into his sling and took good aim. Away went the stone and struck the giant right in the middle of the forehead!

Down he fell on his face with a crash.