Today, Matt Yount and Matt Crozier read and reflect on 1 Samuel 17:4-11, 19-23, 32-49. For the full VP Bible Reading Plan, head to https://victorypoint.org/next-steps/bible-reading-plan. For more on the context of today’s passage go to https://bibleproject.com/explore/book-overviews. To find out more about VictoryPoint Church go to victorypoint.org.
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Here's the full text from today's scripture:
17:1a Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
17:4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
17:5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.
17:6 He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.
17:7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer went before him.
17:8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.
17:9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us."
17:10 And the Philistine said, "Today I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man, that we may fight together."
17:11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
17:19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
17:20 David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took the provisions, and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry.
17:21 Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army.
17:22 David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers.
17:23 As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.
17:32 David said to Saul, "Let no one's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
17:33 Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth."
17:34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock,
17:35 I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it.
17:36 Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God."
17:37 David said, "The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine." So Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you!"
17:38 Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail.
