![]() ![]() 1 So David was not a full-time shepherd who was just on a special visit to Israel's army. 1 Samuel 17:15 reveals that David occasionally returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep in Bethlehem. However, since David was already Saul's armor bearer, then he probably lived with (or near) Saul in Gibeah ( 1 Samuel 15:34). This belief is likely based on 1 Samuel 17:17 where Jesse tells his son to take food to his brothers who were camped out for battle. Many people believe David was still serving as a shepherd for his father when he fought Goliath. He was an armor bearer for the king who helped his father on an irregular basis. As a result, the king made David his armor bearer ( 1 Samuel 16:21). David played for Saul and was successful in comforting the king. ![]() One of Saul's servants suggested David because he was " skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person and the Lord is with him" ( 1 Samuel 16:18, emphasis added). The king was advised to call for a skilled harpist to play for him, because the music might bring him relief. Sometime after David was anointed, King Saul was being troubled by a " distressing spirit" ( 1 Samuel 16:14). In fact, there are several clues that David, although young, may have actually been a rather large man by the time he fought Goliath. Since Samuel was told not to look at the outside, maybe David was small, but the text does not reveal this. He was the youngest, and his oldest and quite impressive brother was rejected. Perhaps this passage is where some people get the notion that David was small. For the Lord does not see as man sees for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" ( 1 Samuel 16:7). However, the Lord told Samuel, " Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. Prior to seeing David, Samuel was impressed by the physical stature of David's brother Eliab and thought that he was the one God would choose. David was the youngest of eight brothers, and his appearance was " ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking" ( 1 Samuel 16:12). Although he is first mentioned in the book of Ruth as the son of Jesse, we find our first description of him in 1 Samuel 16 where he is anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel. The Bible provides detailed biographical information about David. Is this how the Bible describes David? Once again, please remember the purpose of this series on misconceptions is to provide a closer look at the text so that we are not guilty of misrepresenting the Word of God by repeating popular versions of the actual events. If we based our answer to this question on popular culture, Sunday school curricula, and children's songs, we would conclude that David was a little boy or small young man when he fought against a giant. Was he really a little guy when he fought Goliath as is commonly believed? Undoubtedly, little guys can do big things, but this article is about David. In the VeggieTales retelling of David and Goliath, "Dave" sings a song about how little guys can do big things too.
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