With a racing heart, Galen tried to crawl away but was stopped by the bush where he had hidden all night. Trapped, he again glanced up and realized that the shadow was cast by an Israelite boy about his own age. He had dark eyes and hair but didn’t look too strong, although he carried empty water skins.

Galen told himself, I can handle him! He stood up but remained alert, glancing around to make sure no other Israelites were near.

“Hello,” the strange boy said calmly, lowering the water skins from his shoulder. “Don’t you have a brook on your side of the valley?”

“Um . . . well, uh, yes.” Galen quickly looked around, fearful that some adult Israelite would see him. He was relieved that there was no one in sight except the boy.

The boy took an empty skin and plunged it into the stream before asking, “Then what are you doing here?”

Galen hesitated. It would be dangerous to tell all the facts. After all, this was an Israelite boy and an enemy of the Philistines. Galen tried to think how to tell the truth without revealing all of it. “Uh . . .” he finally replied, “some friends and I were out . . . uh . . . exploring. They, well, they ran off and left me.”

His excuse sounded a little lame to his own ears, but he felt that he had been truthful enough.

The other boy lifted the filled water skin from the brook. He observed, “You’re a long way from your people.”

Galen bristled and went on the offensive. It seemed logical since the stranger showed no signs of aggression. Galen spread his feet and scowled, demanding firmly, “Are you saying I’m a liar?”

The other boy shrugged. “No. I was just commenting, that’s all.”

Satisfied that his aggressive attitude seemed to be working, Galen added, “Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t call me a liar!”

Again, the Israelite boy took no offense. He thrust the next skin under the water. It bubbled as the air in it was displaced. He said, “My name’s Reuben.”

Galen automatically answered, “I’m Galen.”

Reuben grinned up at him. “I’ve heard the name a few times. It means ‘healer’ in Greek.”

Galen replied, “I like my name.”

Reuben nodded. “No doubt you were named for some of your Philistine ancestors who originated in the Greek Isles before settling on the coast of the Great Sea.”

Surprised and annoyed that the boy knew this, Galen felt it was necessary to say something he figured Reuben wouldn’t know about the Philistines. Proudly, he announced, “We’re called the Sea People, and we’re great warriors.”

“I’ve heard that said,” Reuben admitted. He lifted the filled skin from the brook before adding, “But you must have heard how my ancestors defeated all the kings of tribes that used to live in this land.”

“Rumors!” Galen scoffed. “The only great warriors are us Philistines! You Israelites have inferior weapons, and your men are farmers pretending to be soldiers. But we Philistines have the finest weapons and the most organized and well-trained soldiers anywhere. Right now, they’re gathering on the hillside across the valley, waiting for Goliath to challenge one of your warriors to come fight him.” Throwing out his chest, Galen added, “Someday, I will carry Goliath’s shield!”

Reuben didn’t seem impressed, so Galen quickly continued. “No Israelite will face Goliath, because if your people sent a challenger, he’d be defeated, and all the rest of you would become our slaves.”

“My forefathers were slaves in Egypt a long time ago,” Reuben replied, standing and drying his hands on his tunic. “We are free now, and this is all going to be our land.” He slowly turned and swept his arms in a wide circle. “All of it,” he added.

Galen bristled again. “You’re wrong! You’re saying the Israelites will defeat my people, yet not one man in your army will even answer Goliath’s challenge, let alone fight him!”

“Our God fights for us,” Reuben replied calmly.

“Your god?” Galen laughed shortly. “I’ve heard about him. He can’t even be seen because he doesn’t exist!” Galen reached under his cloak and brought out the small replica of his fish-man god and silently held it up.

Reuben asked, “What’s that?”

Galen exclaimed in disbelief, “You don’t know who Dagon is?”

Reuben laughed. “That’s Dagon? That silly little thing is your god who you think can help you?”

Offended, Galen cried, “And who helps you? You have only one god, and you can’t even see Him! What kind of god is that?”

Reuben opened his mouth to answer as Goliath’s daily morning challenge echoed across the Valley of Elah.

Galen puffed with pride. “That’s Goliath!” Pointing across the plain, he continued. “See him standing out there in front of our warriors? Twice a day he does that, and nobody from your side even answers him because your invisible God is no match for Dagon and Goliath!”

Reuben shrugged. “Our God will prove you’re wrong.”

Laughing, Galen challenged, “When? How?”

“I don’t know, but it’s not up to me to know such things,” Reuben replied calmly. “But when it happens, I want to be there to see it, so I watch twice a day.”

He placed the last water skin on the bank, turned around, and pointed. “I go up on that little hill where I can see everything. You want to come with me?”

Fearful of being seen, Galen shook his head.

“Too bad,” Reuben said. “Everyone’s gone to watch the soldiers, so nobody’s around here to see you. But from up on the hill, we could see both my people’s warriors and yours without anyone seeing us. Sure you don’t want to come with me?”

Galen glanced longingly at the open plain but knew that his flight would take him within view of the Israelites. They wouldn’t let him cross. He would have to wait for a better opportunity.

“Well,” he said, “maybe just for a minute.”

Galen followed Reuben up to a small rock outcropping on top of the hill. It had an opening wide enough for two boys to lie on their stomachs. Only their heads showed.

Galen’s heart swelled with pride. Across the valley, Goliath stood like a mighty stone pillar in front of the assembled Philistine army. The morning sun reflected off the soldiers’ iron and bronze weapons. They looked invincible as Goliath cupped his hands and once again roared his challenge.

Dropping his gaze to the Israelite army on their side of the valley, Galen almost sneered. “They’re nothing but sheepherders and farmers! They don’t even look like soldiers! And their weapons —why, the branches my friends and I play with are better than what your soldiers have.”

“Looks aren’t what counts,” Reuben declared. “In fact, it wouldn’t matter if your entire Philistine army was filled with Goliaths. All true might and power come from God.”

Galen laughed. “That’s the most stupid thing I’ve ever heard!”

For the first time, Galen’s barbed words caused Reuben to react angrily. “You take that back!”

“No! I said it and I meant it!”

“Look, Galen, I’ve taken your insults about my people, but I won’t let you dishonor my God!”

For a moment, the boys glared at each other, and then the fear and frustration that had engulfed Galen all night suddenly exploded. Yelling, he leaped on top of Reuben.