David and Goliath — The Full Story of Faith Against the Giant | BibleStoriesEdits Studios

For one terrifying moment, the shepherd and the giant stood face to face. The armies of Israel and Philistia stood facing one another across a valley, and neither side dared to move. Between them lay the valley, a barren stretch of earth that would soon become the stage for one of the most famous battles in history. On one side stood Israel, thousands of soldiers prepared for war. Hold your position! And across the valley stood the Philistines, confident, organized, and ready to destroy Israel. Israel will not come down from that hill. They are afraid. But neither army advanced. Then suddenly, something changed. From the Philistine ranks, a warrior stepped forward. His name was Goliath, a champion of Gath. When the Israelites saw him, courage disappeared from their faces. Look at the size of him! Who can fight that man? Then Goliath stepped forward, and his voice thundered across the valley. Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Goliath did not ask for an army. He asked for one man. Choose a man, and let him come down to me. The challenge was simple. One warrior would fight for each army. If he is able to fight me and kill me, we will become your servants. You will become our servants. Then the champion of Gath looked across the valley. I defy the armies of Israel this day. Give me a man that we may fight. And mocked Israel. The Philistine army erupted in celebration. Goliath! Goliath! Across the valley, Israel had no answer. At the center of Israel's army stood their king, Saul. Has no one stepped forward? No soldier moved. Your majesty. Your majesty. What? No one is willing. And the giant returned the next morning. And the morning after that, where is your champion? For forty days, the same scene repeated. I defy the armies of Israel! Send me your champion! Forty days passed, and not one Israelite warrior had accepted. But somewhere far from the battlefield, a young shepherd. Far from the armies and the noise of war, a young shepherd watched over his father's sheep. David knew every path, every hill, and every sheep in his father's flock. Easy. Stay together. He was young, but years in the wilderness had taught him something most soldiers had forgotten. To David, protecting the flock was not a small responsibility. You're safe. I won't leave you. But the wilderness was not always peaceful. David had learned that a shepherd could not run whenever danger appeared. Stay back! In the wilderness, David learned to trust God when no one else was watching. Lord, you have kept me here. Keep me faithful. David was the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem. Three of David's older brothers had gone to war with Saul's army. Father. We should leave before sunrise. Yes. Make sure your equipment is ready. Then one morning, Jesse called David. David. David thought he was simply carrying food to his brothers. He did not know he was walking toward a giant. Then one morning, Jesse called David. David. David thought he was simply carrying food to his brothers. He did not know he was walking toward a giant. Before sunrise, David gathered the provisions his father had prepared and began the journey. Take these to your brothers. Then come back and tell me how they are. I will, father. The road to the army camp stretched across rugged hills and dry valleys. After traveling for some time, David finally saw something on the horizon. David entered the camp carrying food for his brothers. Who are you looking for? My brothers. My brothers. They are serving with the army. At last, David found his brothers among the soldiers. Eliab. David? What are you doing here? Father sent food for you. Then David heard a sound that stopped him. I am the great Goliath of Gath. Send out your champion to face me. The giant had come out again. Why have you come out to fight? Choose a man and let him come down to me. David looked around. The soldiers were terrified. Who is this man? You haven't heard? Heard what? One soldier finally explained what had been happening for forty days. That is Goliath of Gath. He comes every day and challenges Israel. And no one fights him? No one. Then David asked a question that would soon spread through the entire army. The king has promised great Rivim his daughter and honor his family. But David was not thinking about the reward. David could not understand why an entire army was allowing one man to mock them. Who is this Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? The soldiers began repeating David's words to one another. Did you hear what the shepherd said? He wants to fight Goliath. But not everyone was impressed. David! Eliab believed David had no business being there. Why have you come down here? Father sent me to bring you food. And what about those few sheep you left in the wilderness? Eliab thought he understood his younger brother. I know your pride and the wickedness of your heart. You came down only to see the battle. What have I done now? David did not argue. Is there not a cause? David continued asking. What will be done for the man who takes away this disgrace? You truly intend to face him? If God allows me. Soon, word of the young shepherd reached the king. Your Majesty, there is a young man among the soldiers who keeps speaking about facing Goliath. Bring him to me. For the first time, David stood before the king. The king wishes to speak with you. Then I will go. Saul looked at the young shepherd standing before him. You cannot fight this Philistine. Let no one lose heart because of him. Your servant will go and fight this Philistine. Saul looked at David. He saw a shepherd standing before a challenge. You are only a youth. He has been a warrior from his youth. Your servant kept sheep. I kept his father's sheep. Then David told the king what had happened in the wilderness. When a lion came and took a lamb, David did not abandon the flock. I went after it and struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. And it happened again. And when it rose against me, I caught it and struck it. To David, these encounters were not stories of his own greatness. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear. David believed the same God who had protected him in the wilderness could protect him on the battlefield. He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. You truly believe this? With all my heart. For a moment, Saul was silent. Go then, and may the Lord be with you. But Saul would not send David into battle unprotected. Take my armor. I have never worn this. David tried to walk. I cannot go in these. Why? I have not tested them. But the armor did not belong to him. David knew he could not fight the giant by pretending to be someone else. I will go with what I know. David left Saul's presence, carrying none of the king's armor. David. Yes, my king? Be careful. I will. The soldiers watched the young shepherd walk toward the valley. Is he really going? Apparently. Before facing the giant, David stopped at a brook flowing through the valley. He reached into the stream, and he chose five smooth stones. His weapon was simple. Then the shepherd stood. Then Goliath noticed him. Goliath! What? Someone is coming. David walked toward the giant. With every step, the distance between them became smaller. The shepherd had arrived. And the giant was waiting. Goliath looked at the man who had come to face him. Save Amenia, Goliath, who had come to face him. The giant could hardly believe what he was seeing. Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks? Goliath saw a boy. He did not see a threat. Come here, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. But David did not step backward. Then David spoke. You come against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I come against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and all the earth shall know that there is a God in Israel. And this whole assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's. Goliath had heard enough. Then come! David did not run away. The giant was running toward David, and David was running toward the giant. David reached into his shepherd's pouch and drew out a single smooth stone. The battle is the Lord's. Then David placed the stone. Come, boy! The stone began to circle faster and faster. Lord of hosts! Goliath came forward with all the force of a warrior. He believed the battle was already won. I will crush you! In the name of the Lord! The stone flew across the space between the shepherd and the giant. Look! The stone struck the giant directly on the forehead, and the giant fell face down upon the ground. The giant has fallen! For a moment, the entire valley seemed to stop. He's down! Goliath is down! David had defeated Goliath with a sling and a stone, but the battle was not yet finished. The Lord has delivered him into my hand. The champion who had terrified an entire army now lay defeated at David's feet. The Lord delivered you into my hand. David took the giant's own sword and completed the victory. Let all who see this know, the Lord saves. Then the Israelites finally understood what had happened. Goliath is dead! David defeated him! And suddenly, the silence of 40 days was broken. Hurt us! The Philistines had trusted in their champion, now they watched him fall. Run! The Israelites are coming! King Saul saw the moment and commanded his army forward. Forward! Drive them from the valley! What had been a valley of fear became a battlefield of pursuit. Moving! And the shepherd who had walked into the valley carrying only a sling... David, come with us! ...now walked among warriors. The Philistine army abandoned the battlefield and fled toward their cities. After them! On that day, Israel did not merely defeat an enemy. A young shepherd stepped into history. The battle belonged to the Lord.