The Philistines also seemed to realize that this mere puppy of a youth was going to accept Goliath’s challenge. His warriors laughed in contempt and shouted insults at the lone shepherd boy purposefully striding forward.

Zik exclaimed, “I just can’t believe this! Those Israelites are actually sending a boy against Goliath!”

Galen breathlessly watched the young man approach. He briefly wondered if Reuben was also watching.

Galen told Zik, “I don’t think Goliath believes it either. He probably feels insulted!”

When the opponents came within speaking distance, the cheering from the Israelite army and laughter from the Philistines slowly died down. The silence was broken only by the sound of Goliath’s scale armor as he followed his shield bearer onto the valley floor.

Galen couldn’t see the giant’s face, but the sun shone directly on his youthful opponent’s. Galen had a clear, sharp view of the handsome, ruddy shepherd. A beardless face proved that he was too young to be an experienced soldier.

The challenger didn’t seem frightened. In fact, Galen thought he appeared calm and confident even though he was facing a warrior almost twice as tall as he. Galen wished he knew the youth’s name.

The crowds on both sides of the valley became very quiet. Soon there was such a stillness that Galen could clearly hear Goliath’s sneering words to the youth.

“Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?”

Galen noticed the scorn and contempt in the giant’s tone and knew he despised the boy facing him. That was confirmed when Goliath began cursing the youth by the giant’s gods Dagon and Baal.

Zik whispered, “He’s not even scaring that boy!”

Galen nodded, aware that the youthful stranger’s countenance remained serene.

Goliath told him, “Come here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.”

The youth replied, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied!”

Galen blinked, recalling how Reuben had said that the Israelites’ invisible God was going to send someone to defeat Goliath.

The shepherd continued, “This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head! Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!”

Galen gasped, astonished that anyone dared to talk that way to Goliath, plus all the Philistine warriors.

The youthful challenger added, “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give all of you into our hands!”

Galen watched Goliath move closer to attack the youth, who ran quickly to meet him.

Zik exclaimed, “I can’t believe he’s doing that!”

Galen didn’t reply because he was intrigued by what the stranger did next.

The boy reached into his bag and took out one of the five stones he had picked up from the brook. Fitting the rock into his sling, the youth swung it rapidly above his head and then released it.

Galen could barely follow its flight but saw it clearly just before it struck the giant’s forehead. Galen heard it hit. He saw the giant falter and then slowly topple like a great tree before an ax. Goliath crashed facedown on the ground.

Galen barely heard the collective cry of astonishment from the Philistines lined up on the hillside. Leaping back in shock, he cried aloud, “God of the Israelites, save me!”

He trembled with fear and excitement as the youth with the sling darted toward the fallen giant.

Goliath’s shield bearer, standing in shock in front of the giant, spun round and started running away, still carrying the great shield. As he drew even with Galen, he dropped it with a dull thud.

Galen’s eyes flickered back to the stricken Goliath, and he again recalled Reuben’s prophetic words about his God sending someone to overcome the giant.

Moments before, Goliath had been a man nine feet tall, fully dressed head to toe in protective scale armor made of bronze. Now, sprawled facedown on the ground, he was still huge compared to the youth standing over him. Yet somehow Goliath looked small and insignificant to Galen.

The victorious youth who had toppled the giant reached down and pulled big Goliath’s sword from its scabbard. The sunlight glittered on the blade as he swung it high above Goliath’s head. Galen quickly turned away and saw the looks of absolute disbelief on the Philistine warriors’ faces.

They shrieked in a second collective howl of hysterical anguish as the sword flashed down. Instantly, Israelite soldiers triumphantly yelled and then charged across the valley, carrying axes and ox goads. A few had crude wooden spears or bows and arrows. Others carried slings.

The panicked Philistines turned and ran away from the onrushing army. Galen glanced toward Zik and saw him already frantically dashing after them.

Galen’s mind told him to run for his life, but his feet wouldn’t obey. Terror had frozen him where he stood, trancelike, watching the swarm of Israelite soldiers surging across the narrow valley. They were covering the distance in an amazingly short time.

Galen’s eyes were drawn back to the conquering shepherd boy as he lifted high his grisly trophy.

This horrific sight broke Galen’s hypnotic trance.

He turned and started to run after his fleeing tribesmen, but he had waited too long. He couldn’t catch up with them.

Frantically looking around for somewhere to hide, he saw only one possibility: Goliath’s great shield that his bearer had dropped in his flight.

Even though Galen had once struggled to lift it, fear gave him strength. With the dreaded shouts of the oncoming Israelites in his ears, Galen lifted an edge of the shield high enough to squirm headfirst under it.

Just before the shield fell protectively over him, he had a final glimpse of the foremost Israelites now rushing upon the scene.