David and reflecting

David's preparation for Goliath

1 Samuel 17:37

Then David said, "The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you."

1 Samuel 17:38

Then Saul had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David's head and had him put on armour.(HCSB)

1 Samuel 17:39

David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. "I can't walk in these," David said to Saul, "I'm not used to them." So David took them off.(HCSB)

1 Samuel 17:40

Instead, he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd's bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.(HCSB)

Use of the Bible - Contemplative reading of the Bible

Discipline of “Lectio Divina”

Reading becomes part of the prayer. Tuning in.

Lectio

Taking up Scripture

Meditatio

Engaging with the passage- What do I notice?

Oratio

The deep self touched, Thank you for this passage, remembering it during the day.

Contemplatio

Rest and silence and read again.

Learning point or notes:

Why did David pick up five smooth stones for his sling when he knew that God would guide his aim to kill the Philistine giant with only one stone? Did David lack faith in God's supernatural power to destroy Israel's great enemy? The answer to this mystery appeared to me one night when Book of 2 Samuel, chapter 21. ...that Goliath was not the only giant in his family. The father of Goliath was a giant who had five sons, all of whom fought for the Philistines. Every one of these four brothers were also giants who ultimately died in combat with the brave soldiers of David. Summarising the story of their death in combat with David's men, the prophet Samuel recorded: "These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants" (2 Samuel 21:22). When David picked up five smooth stones for his sling he was simply being prudent in preparing for the possibility that Goliath's four brothers might have joined the battle when Goliath was killed. He might have needed the additional four stones to defeat the four other giants.