Legends of the Patriarchs and Prophets: And Other Old Testament Characters from Various SourcesBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
Legends of the Patriarchs and Prophets: And Other Old Testament Characters from Various Sources
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Bible. Old Testament -- Legends
Samuel’s words were disregarded. Only three hundred and thirteen men
were found who had sufficient control over themselves not to drink
except slightly out of the hollow of their hand; but these felt their
thirst quenched, whereas those who had laid down and lapped were still
parched with thirst.
Saul and his army came before that of Goliath; then said the majority
of those who had lain down and lapped, “We have no strength to-day to
stand against the Philistines.” So Saul dismissed them to their homes,
to the number of seventy-six thousand men; he had still with him four
thousand men. Next day, when they saw the array of the Philistines, and
the gigantic stature of their king, and their harness flashing in the
sun, the hearts of more of the warriors failed, and they would not
follow Saul into battle, but said, “We have no strength to-day to stand
against the Philistines!”
So Saul dismissed three thousand six hundred men, and there remained to
him only three hundred and thirteen, the same number as those who on
the day of Bedr remained with the prophet Mohammed.
Then said Saul, “God is favorable to us!” and he advanced, and set his
army in array against Goliath. And he prayed, saying, “Grant us, O
Lord, perseverance.”[610]
However, God sent an order by Samuel saying, “Go not into battle
this day, for the man who is to slay Goliath is not here; he is Daud
(David), son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz; he is a little man,
with grey eyes, and little hair, timid of heart, and slender of body.
By this shalt thou know him: when thou placest the horn upon his head,
the oil will overflow and boil.”
Then Samuel went to Jesse, and said to him, “Amongst thy sons there is
one who will slay Goliath.”
Jesse said, “I have eleven sons, men stalwart and comely.”
Samuel placed the horn on their heads, but the oil was not to be seen.
Then God gave him a vision, and he said to him, “Look not at the beauty
and strength of these men, but on the purity of their hearts and their
fear of God.”
Samuel said to Jesse, “God says thou art a liar, and He says thou hast
another son besides these.”
Jesse answered, “It is true; but he is diminutive in stature, and I am
ashamed to bring him into the company of men; I make him tend sheep; he
is somewhere with the flock to-day.”
Samuel went to the place, and it was a valley into which a torrent
fell. He saw David drawing the sheep out of the torrent by twos. Samuel
said, “Certainly this is the man I seek.” He placed the horn on his
head, and the oil overflowed.
Now Goliath, seeing the small number of the children of Israel,
despised them, and scorned to fight them. He sent a messenger to Saul,
saying, “Thou hast come out to fight against me with this handful, and
I disdain to attack thee with my large army. If thou wilt, come forth
that we may fight each other, or send any one out of the army, whom
thou wilt, to fight with me.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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