The full story of David and Goliath is a popular biblical tale from the Book of Samuel. The story revolves around Goliath, a Philistine giant that was defeated by the young David in single combat. The story hints at Saul being an unfit ruler, as Saul himself failed to fight for Israel, and David the brave character, came out victorious.
While this is a mythological story, it has an important lesson for children about bravery and taking responsibility. The phrase “David and Goliath” has become a part of popular language, denoting an underdog situation or a battle between a smaller, weaker opponent and a much bigger, stronger adversary.
Origin And History Of The Story Of David And Goliath
The story of David and Goliath was originally told in the Bible. The Books of Samuel and the books of Joshua, Judges and Kings, describe a history of olden Israel which biblical scholars call the Deuteronomistic History. The first edition of the story is said to be written at the court of Judah’s King Josiah in the late 7th century BCE. This edition was revised during the exile in 6th century BCE. The story was further revised in the post-exilic period. The story of David and Goliath in English as we know today is this revised version.
Story Type
The story of David and Goliath is a Biblical tale. It is a historical tale with mythological elements, making it an exciting war story. Children will be excited to hear this story, and will also learn an important lesson.
Story Characters
These are the main characters of the story
- David: A shepherd boy who always had faith in the Lord
- Goliath: A philistine giant who tortured the Israelites
- Saul: The King of Israel who offered his armour to David
The Story Of David And Goliath
This is the story of a time when the Philistines were attacking the Israelites. Every morning, a giant Philistine named Goliath would challenge everyone, “Is there anyone strong and brave enough to fight me? I dare you!” But Goliath was a huge being. He was bigger and taller than most people, and he had a fierce look. He wore heavy armour and carried a sword, spear, and a huge shield. The Israelites believed that no one has a chance against him. So no one showed the courage to stand up against him.
David was a young shepherd boy. He was very faithful and believed in the Lord above all. His brothers were soldiers in Israel’s army. One day, David went to visit his brothers to take them some food. He arrived just at the time when Goliath came to announce his challenge to fight.
David was shocked to see this. “Why does no one defend Israel?” he asked all the soldiers. This enraged his brothers. “Don’t speak where you don’t belong. Go home and take care of the sheep,” they said angrily. But David knew the Lord would defend Israel.
King Saul had heard of David’s faith, so he asked to see David. “I am not afraid of Goliath.” David told Saul when they met. “Once when I was looking after my sheep, I killed a lion and a bear to protect them from harm. The Lord protected me then, and I know the Lord would protect me now.” David said with all his faith.
Saul was happy to see David’s faith and courage. He gave David his own armour to go to fight with Goliath. David tried to wear it, but it didn’t fit. So David took off the armour and decided to fight without any armour.
As David went to face Goliath, he picked up five smooth stones and collected them in a bag. He took his bag and shepherd’s staff and went to face the mighty challenge.
When Goliath saw David, he burst out laughing. “A shepherd boy against me? You would never stand a chance!” Goliath shouted and made fun of his opponent. But this did not deter David. “I trust the Lord to protect me and give me strength to defeat you!” David shouted back. He was determined to beat Goliath to show the Lord’s greatness.
When the battle began, David ran toward Goliath. He swiftly threw one of his stones at Goliath using his sling. The stone hit Goliath in the forehead, and the giant man fell to the ground at once.
The Lord helped David defeat Goliath without as much as a sword or armour.
Hearing of the giant Goliath’s death, all the Philistines were shocked. They were filled with fear, and fled Israel. The Israelites won the battle and were restored to safety. David trusted the Lord, and the Lord protected Israel.
Summary Of The Story Of David And Goliath
This is the summary of the story of David and Goliath.
David was a shepherd boy who lived in Israel. One day a giant named Goliath started bragging to his soldier friends that none of the Israelites would dare to fight him. The Israelite soldiers were all afraid of the giant Goliath. The King of Israel Saul was also unable to stop him. That’s when little David decided to face Goliath himself. He went and got some stones and a slingshot to combat the Giant.
The giant ridiculed David. But he went in with all his faith. He took a stone and put it in his sling and flung it at Goliath. The stone hit Goliath on the forehead and he fell to the ground immediately. Then David killed him with his sword. All the Philistines ran away and Israel was protected. The faithful shepherd boy had saved the Jewish people with the help of the Lord.
Moral Of The Story
This story teaches an important lesson of bravery, courage and faith. It was with immense faith that David faced Goliath and came our victorious. From the giant Goliath’s attitude we also learn that pride leads to fall and one should never underestimate their opponent. Most importantly, the story instils faith in people that if you are standing up for the right, the Lord will always give you strength.
How Can Children Apply The Moral Of The Story To Their Lives?
Children have a lot to learn from this short story. While this is a historical tale, it talks of bravery, courage and standing up for the right. If children see any of their classmates bullying someone or troubling another child, they should not be afraid of them. They should never think of themselves as weaker. Instead, they should inform a teacher or an adult and stop the wrongdoer.
The giant also represents any hurdles that one might face in life. And with faith in heart, one can emerge victorious over everything. Be it a difficult task or preparing for a daunting exam, read this short story with pictures to remember that nothing is impossible.
Also Read:
Hansel And Gretel Moral Story for Kids
Moral Story of The Selfish Giant for Children
Pinocchio Story with Moral for Children
