And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years.
The Story of David[38]
More than two thousand years ago, there was a great battle in the land of Palestine. At that time, Saul was king of Israel, and the battle was fought between the Israelites and the Philistines, their enemies. Now, the Israelites worshiped God or Jehovah, while the Philistines worshiped images of wood and stone.
And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side; and the ravine was between them.
And as the armies were drawn up for battle, there stepped out from the ranks of the Philistines a champion named Goliath. He was a giant in stature, and he was clothed in a corselet of scales, with a helmet of bronze upon his head. His spear was like a weaver’s beam—and a shield-bearer went before him.
And Goliath stood and cried to the people of Israel, “I have come forth to defy the army of Israel. Choose ye a man who shall come and fight with me. If he slays me, then will the Philistines be your servants, but if I slay him, then shall ye be the servants of the Philistines.”
Then were the Israelites dismayed, and no man dared go forth to fight with Goliath.
Every night and every morning for forty days, Goliath came forth and challenged the army of Israel, and no man dared go forth to fight him.
At this same time, away off among the hills of Bethlehem, there was a young man named David, who was tending his father’s sheep. He was a shepherd lad, but ruddy, and of a beautiful appearance. His father’s name was Jesse. Now, Jesse’s three older sons were in the army of Saul, but David, the youngest, cared for the sheep. He loved the country about Bethlehem, and he had many beautiful thoughts while watching over the sheep that he loved.