broke out between
his country and the Philistines. These people lived in the lower
country to the west of Judea, and the two nations were very often at
war. This time the two armies camped on opposite sides of a narrow
valley.

The Philistines had a giant in their army, who used to come out every
day and challenge anyone in the army of the Israelites to fight. This
is how the giant is described:--

{141}{142}

[Illustration]
WATER WORKS IN OLD PHILISTIA

From a photograph taken by Mrs. Louise Seymour Houghton,
and used by her kind permission.

This unusual picture was taken at the village of Yebnah, between.
Jaffa and Ashdod, in the country of old Philistia. The camel is
harnessed to a pole, and, walking in a circle, turns the clumsy
machinery which lifts the water from the well.
[End illustration]

{143}

"And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines,
named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he
had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of
mail, and he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass
between his shoulders, and the staff of his spear was like a weaver's
beam, and a servant bearing a shield went before him."

Every day this great giant came out before the army and shouted out
his challenge. "Choose you a man for you," he cried, "and let him come
to me. If he be able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be
your servants: but if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall
ye be our servants and serve us."

What a terrible sight he must have been with the sun shining on his
bright brass armor, and his great roaring voice, which echoed among
the hills! It is no wonder that the whole army of the Israelites was
afraid, and that no champion was brave enough to come out to meet him.

All this time David was at home taking care of the sheep. He had three
older brothers who were away with the army, but David was thought too
young to be a soldier. It must have {144} been very hard for such a
brave boy to stay at home, but he was a good boy as well as a brave
one, and he patiently did his work.

One day David's mother had made some very nice bread, and some cheese,
and she remembered that the boys in camp would have very poor food. So
David's father said he might go up to camp and take some roasted corn
and the bread to his brothers, and he sent, too, ten cheeses to the
captain of the boys' compa