# 1 Samuel Chapter 17 (Part 2)
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## Summary
Saul clothes Daniel in his armour and David tries to go out in them but he has not tested them so instead takes his staff and sling. David approaches Goliath who curses him by the names of his God. David stands his ground and points out the Lord will deliver Goliath and the Philistines to Israel for the battle is the Lords.

David strikes down Goliath, kills him and cuts of his head with his own sword. Observing the death of their champion the Philistines leave and are pursued by all Israel. David returning to Saul is asked who his father is and reveals he is the son of Jesse the Bethlehemite.

## Meditatio
This passage is a classic tale of the underdog coming to save the day. It is once again fulfilment of that beautiful song by Hannah back in Samuel Chapter 2[^1]. How the Lord selects from the place of dishonour to bring to a place of honour. This is part of the recurrent pattern of the Lord acting as the Lord wills.

We see that David is from the smallest tribe, an insignificant village, the least of his household. Interestingly these humble beginnings have not embittered him or seen him shirk his responsibility. Indeed he observes no one is doing anything about Goliath and there is a need for one who fears the Lord to make a stand so he takes it upon himself to go.

There are some interesting nuances to this passage. For example that David has to use Goliaths own sword to kill and decapitate his body. There is a dark symbolic poetry to making use of the tools employed by what is foul against it. How might the dark corners of our own lives that rise up to defy the work of the Lord also need us to make use of their own weapons to destroy them?

What remains for me an enigma is the reason that Saul enquires of Daniel's father. Perhaps this is because David's act has proven popular and, given his tendency towards fear, Saul wishes to ascertain the thread David poses. Perhaps Saul wishes to ascertain David's legitimacy and Social Standing, or to which family he will find himself indebted. But you would think that this would be know given David entered into Saul's service only the previous chapter (Chapter 16).

Whilst I doubt Saul would have concerned himself with the paternity of some minor slave one would think the court would have done so. Also if David was in Sauls service it's unclear why he is back home with Jessie in the beginning of this chapter. I do wonder if sequentially there is some jumping back and forth between times.

Nevertheless these are just interesting avenues of thought. To me what is important is what this reveals about the character of God. What we see here is that the measure of a true leader is their character and relationship with God rather than their social status or lineage. God see's beyond paternity to potential and as a result makes his choice.

[^1]: See my discussion of this [here](http://tilde.club/~chortle/log.php?type=faith&year=part2#1-samuel-chapter-2-part-1).