Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-12-15
NUMBER TWENTY FIVE.

GOIiath." David says, "There is none like
that; gire it me-" showing that thatjpon ou
weapon was well adapted to his power, and Just
the thing for him FOR self defence. n Sam. XXI.
8, 81
Now as to his size. In those times Of hand
to hand fighting, personal proves, great size
and strength were the qualities for leader; and
for the Israelites, who were then in abject sub
lection to the Philistines size and strength would
be specially sought for in the choice of a king.
Saul was evidently chosen for his great size by
Samuel, and for the same reason the choice was
ratified BY the people with enthusiasm. "IThea
he stood among the people, he trG, higher than
any Of the people from his shoulders and up
traTd Ind Samuel said 10 all the people, See
ys hin lrhOm the Lord hath chosen, that there
IS none like hin among all the people ? 4ad
all the people shouted, and said, God
sare the king. RI Samuel, Y %, 24.1
The same qualities we're looked for in a success
scr. 1t Is quite evident that the size of Jesse's
sOas attracted the attention of Samuel, and be-
fore seeing David, the '' height Of the stature "
Of Eliab, the eldest. led Samuel to suppose that
he must be the chosen Of the Lord. q Sam.
xvi. y David was the armcr-bearer Of Saul.
who was ron the shoulders upward higher than
any other IsraelIte--probably more than seven
feet; no :" little - David could have carried his
armor. When David volunteered to meet Coli
ath, Saul offered his own armor to him to wear.
and gave him his sword, perhaps because no
others were large enough for him. David put
them on, but quickly took them off, not because
they were too large, but because he was not used
to armor. Saul would never have offered his gi-
ant armor to any little David, nor would
shepherd lad have put it On. q Sam. xvii. IS,
39) He must have been as tai as Saul, and
strong in proportion to his size Goliath himself
scorns David because he was young, armed only
with staff, but does not speak of his size, or
any other deficiency, except his having no arms,
as rendering him unfit to accept the giants
challenge, '' Gire ne man, that 're may fight
together.
His prudence. The stratagem Of David was
characteristic Of his sagacity and wlriness To
deceive the Philistine he went into the field as a
shepherd and not as a man of war; she tool his
staff in his haad,'' he put tie sones ''ia his
Shepherds bag rhieh he hail." and his sling
was ''iA his hdHd''-concealed in his hand. Go
hath was thrown off his guard. q sam. xvii.
40, 70, IS.
Dayid's great strength and skill being cousi-
dered, the overthrow Of Goliath was to be ex-
peeted. His death was certain. The sling, in
those days, was a wonderful weapon in the
hands Of those who were skIllful in the use oft.
especially if they were men Of great muscular
power in the arms. The precision with which
stones were thrown as well as the velocity, is
almost incoaceiyable to US. The singers were
the sharpshOoters of the early wars of the Jews.
In the tribe of Benjamin alone there were
''s,rsg hundred chosen men, leff-hdnded, erery
one Of trhom could sling stones at GhGir-6readh
end mol miss (Judg X 49,
According to Pliny, the people Of Palestine
were not only the first to adopt this powerful
weapon. but were also the most skillful in the
use CT it, and from DiOdorus and yegetius, We
learn that the inhabitants of the Balearic Is
lands (lajorca and Mincrca) were also great
singers. They compelled their children to go
| hungry till they could bring down game for
their food, with their sings. A man Of great
strength, would kill IN enemy, encased in ar
NOR, at the distance Ofthirty rods, without she'd
ding drop Of blocd-so great was the shock
and they rarely missed. Encyl. art. FrOnde.
DAVID thus used a weapon which the giant
could not parry nor fy from, AMI which bis
brass-clad forehead could not resist.
Dayii's feats Of strength are nowhere repre-
santed as miraculous. or anything more than
great but natural exhibitions Of strength and
bravery, with the blessing of the Divine Provi-
dence- the blessing Of success upon the use Of
appropriate means. E. c. B.