A Story of God and All of Us Young Reade - By Roma Downey Page 0,23

and staff...

they comfort me."

Goliath laughs as he sees David rotate the sling around and around his head. From above, Saul and Jonathan look on without hope, wishing one of them had felt confident enough to face the giant, as they consider their coming enslavement.

David's sling swings faster and faster around his head, the leather and rock whirring louder and louder. Goliath slashes at the air menacingly with his sword, not breaking stride as he bears down on David. Goliath turns to give yet another derisive sneer back toward his lines. But young David never once takes his eyes off Goliath.

As Goliath's head is turned ever so slightly, David lets the stone fly from his sling. That flat, smooth rock strikes the giant squarely on the temple, then falls harmlessly to the ground.

Goliath doesn't know what has happened. His eyes open wide in shock. He

stands still.

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Young David does not reload his sling. He merely stands, empty sling dangling from his side, and waits. Waits. Waits.

Then Goliath falls, just as David knew he would. A cloud of dust billows up from the earth, which seems to rumble as Goliath's massive form collides with the battlefield.

The Israelite army roars, even as the Philistines stare in horror.

Without waiting for a signal from their king, the Israelites charge onto the plain past David, racing forth with drawn swords and raised spears to lay waste to the Philistines.

David is triumphant. He beams as Saul approaches and claps him on the shoulder. "A wolf in sheep's clothing is what you are, David. You've saved my kingdom." Saul hands David a sword. "Come. We have an enemy to conquer."

The Philistines are the first of many enemies David will fight for Saul. As the years pass, David conquers all the enemies of Israel, always fighting alongside the man he calls his king. The Philistines are driven from the Promised Land, and David forges a deep bond of friendship with Saul and Jonathan. The Israelite army believes that David is invincible, and he soon becomes a great leader of men--a hero. He becomes so beloved 92

by the Israelites that Saul, incredibly jealous, wishes him dead. What he doesn't know is that David has a secret. Before all this began, at a time when he was just the youngest of many brothers, the prophet Samuel personally anointed him to become king of the Jews.

David is on the run. Wherever he goes, Saul is just one step behind. The man who was made king to lead the Israelites against the Philistines is now distracted with hunting down David and anybody loyal to him. Saul and his men range far and wide across the broad deserts and valleys of the Promised Land, leaving a cruel wake of violence and mayhem.

At the end of a long day of chasing David, Saul's troops are encamped by a river. Tents are erected. Horses are being fed. Saul walks off from the camp.

He is alone, and he likes it that way. At the base of a cliff he looks right and left to see if anyone can hear him, and then Saul cries out to the Lord. "I have served you faithfully," he says, "as faithfully as a man can. And still it seems it is not enough. Lord, I ask you, do you hear your servant?"

He waits, but there is silence. Nothing. He wearily walks on, looking for a cool, dry cave to get out of the

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heat. Finally, he finds one. Saul steps inside. He looks around, searching for signs of life--predatory animals, poisonous snakes, or perhaps a desert ruffian who has made the cave a home.

But he sees nothing, not even a hooded David standing behind a nearby rock.

David cries out, "Majesty!"

Saul spins around, recognizing the voice and drawing his sword. "David?"

David removes his hood from his head. "Why do you hunt me down? Why? I have done you no harm."

Saul warily approaches the shadows, sword at the ready. David steps toward him, and his soldiers follow. They draw their swords, but David uses one arm to wave them back.

"I could have killed you just now," David tells Saul.

"Why didn't you?" Saul asks.

"I will not kill you. Ever."

Saul considers what David has said. Then he sheathes his sword and looks chillingly into David's eyes as he holds out his hand. "Come, then... let's go home... together."

David is wary. He holds Saul's gaze, and as he does so his men tighten their grip on their swords. Showing grace and a quiet strength, he walks to Saul,