thou comest against me with a staff?" Then he began to make fun of
David. But David answered: "Thou comest against me with a sword and a
shield; but I come against thee trusting in the Lord of Hosts, the God
of Israel, whom thou hast defied."

[Illustration: SAUL ANGRY WITH DAVID.]

Then, as Goliath came nearer, David took a stone from the bag at his
side, and putting it into his sling, he took good aim, and it struck
Goliath in the middle of the forehead and stunned him. As the giant
fell, David ran up to him, and taking the mighty sword, cut off his head
with it.

This act of David's brought a great victory to Saul's army, and the king
was delighted with his courage; while Jonathan, Saul's eldest son, loved
the boy from that time, and they became like brothers. David also
married the daughter of Saul, and was placed over his men of war.

[Illustration: THE DEATH OF SAUL.]

[Illustration: THE DEATH OF AHAB.]

But when all the people praised David, and Saul knew how much they
loved him, he grew jealous, and David was obliged to fly for his life
and hide himself from the king. During these wanderings, he wrote some
of his most beautiful psalms.

Saul, however, was finally killed, and at last David became king. He
ruled Israel for nearly forty years, making it a great and powerful
nation; and when he died he was buried at Jerusalem, which was called