David and Goliath Part II

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People. Goliath, the Titan of Gath. 00:00:13 Speaker 2: Saul, King of Israel, I am Goliath, the Titan of Gath, son of the wolf and commander of the United Philistine Army. I have come to challenge you to Zoc Tarak! Choose a Xanathor, a champion. Let him face me. If he slays me, the Philistines will be your growth arms. What if I strike him down? And you will bow before us as our goose horns. And your people will be our slaves until the. 00:01:07 Speaker 1: End of days. 00:01:09 Speaker 3: There isn't a man in Israel who could even lift that beast's shield, let alone face him in single combat. 00:01:21 Speaker 1: What do we do? We need some sort of spark. Just then, the tent flaps burst open. David strode in. Saul blinked in surprise. 00:01:34 Speaker 4: My king, let no man's heart lose hope because of this giant. I will go and fight the Philistine. He comes into our land, threatens God's flock, bares his teeth and roars. 00:01:46 Speaker 1: He is defiled beyond his own kingdom. 00:01:49 Speaker 4: Be the mockery of him. I will strike him down just as I struck down the lion. Not by my own strength, but by the might of the Lord. 00:02:00 Speaker 1: David departed for the banks of the river, eyes ignited with righteous fury. Israel had its champion. David moved with quiet determination down the jagged path, each step taking him closer to the valley that reeked of death and dread. The cries of soldiers faded behind him, replaced by the soft murmur of the forest. Birds flitted between branches, singing to one another, oblivious to the war gathering beyond the trees. Near a narrow brook, David knelt and let his fingers glide through the cold water. It was clear, untouched by the blood that would soon stain the valley below. He cupped his hands, drinking deeply, feeling the chill run down his throat. Another handful washed over his neck, cooling the fire within him just enough to keep his head clear. David looked up through the canopy of leaves where the sun flickered like distant torches. His lips parted, barely above a whisper. 00:03:15 Speaker 4: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. 00:03:22 Speaker 1: For you are with me. A breeze stirred the trees, bending them into a soft, mournful chorus. It was as if the forest itself answered him, a quiet reassurance that he was not alone. David's gaze fell to the brook once more. Slowly, methodically, he selected five smooth stones, each no larger than his palm. He turned them over in his hand, feeling their weight, their potential. Every stone was chosen with care, every curve memorized. 00:03:58 Speaker 4: The Lord is my life and salvation. 00:04:03 Speaker 1: Whom shall I fear? He tucked the stones into the worn leather pouch at his side, the same pouch that had held stones for lions and bears. Now it would hold the stone that would topple a giant. David gripped his staff tightly and stretched his arms, feeling the familiar wood press against his calloused palms. He was no seasoned warrior, no soldier clad in golden armor, but he was a shepherd, and that was enough. With steady breaths and silent courage, David began his march into the valley. Each step echoed with a promise, not by strength, nor by sword, but by the name of the Lord. Ahead, the monstrous shadow of Goliath loomed. David pressed forward. He wouldn't flinch. The giant descended into the valley like a beast unchained, each step a tremor in the earth. Goliath's deep, guttural roars echoed across the canyon walls, reverberating in the chests of the Israelite soldiers above. His iron spear clanged violently against his shield, a metallic thunder that demanded attention. 00:05:26 Speaker 2: Who shall fight me?' Who shall come and slay me? You're all neutered dogs. Come and fight me and die like men. 00:05:48 Speaker 1: He scanned the cliffs, his black eyes gleaming with fury. He had issued the challenge for forty days, but no one dared answer. The waiting had turned his amusement into rage. He craved blood. His mouth twisted in contempt. From above, Saul watched in grim silence. The king's knuckles were white as he gripped the hilt of his sword. The weight of every eye upon him was heavier than his own gilded armor. Yet still, he said nothing. Did nothing. His gaze remained locked on the valley below. where death itself awaited. Goliath sneered, spreading his massive arms wide. 00:06:35 Speaker 2: One final chance, King of Israel. Send your champion now, or we will march through your camps like wildfire and raze your cities to ash. 00:06:55 Speaker 1: Murmurs rippled through the Israelite ranks. Soldiers shifted nervously, their eyes flicking from one man to another, hoping someone, anyone, would step forward. Still, no one moved. No one dared. The giant grinned, savoring their fear. He pounded his spear against his shield once more. The sound was deafening. 00:07:21 Speaker 2: Cowards! Every one of you! Your ancestors survived the whip of Pharaoh only to kneel at my feet! Pathetic worms! Your god is a god of cowards! He too shall feel my wrath! His ark may have wounded Gath, But we will have our vengeance. I shall avenge my people. Your God will bow to me, the Titan of Gath. 00:08:11 Speaker 1: That's enough. The Philistine paused. his grin faltering as a collective gasp escaped from the Israelite camp. The murmurs grew louder, the soldiers parting like waves. Goliath turned his head sharply to his right, following their gaze. And there, emerging from the shadows of the canyon, was not a warrior clad in armor, not a seasoned soldier with sword and shield. It was a boy. His light curls were pulled back with a simple bandana, exposing sharp, piercing eyes that burned with something ancient, something fierce. The fire of heaven itself flickered behind them. David marched forward with a calm purpose. There was no hesitation in his steps, no wavering in his stance. Each stride was deliberate. every movement laced with unshakable conviction. He stopped twenty yards from Goliath and drove his shepherd's staff firmly into the earth. The boy stood alone in the valley where no man dared stand. Goliath had his challenger. Israel had its champion. The giant's grin twisted into a vicious snarl. His lips curled back to reveal jagged teeth stained with years of war. Disgusted, he spat on the ground in front of David. The glob of saliva sizzled on the hot earth. Oh boy, what is this? 00:09:56 Speaker 2: Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks? 00:10:04 Speaker 1: His eyes, dark as obsidian, flicked to the shepherd's staff David clutched in his hand. The giant's breath came heavy and furious. 00:10:15 Speaker 2: Of all the mighty men in Israel, they send you? A whelp? I'm insulted! 00:10:26 Speaker 1: The Philistine's massive hand clenched his spear until his knuckles turned white. 00:10:33 Speaker 2: I could snap you like a twig! Break your bones between my fingers, boy! 00:10:44 Speaker 1: The valley grew still. Even the Philistine soldiers, who moments ago jeered and cheered, quieted. Only the wind dared move, whistling through the canyon like an unseen spectator. David did not flinch. He stood as unmoving as the stones beneath his feet. His eyes, fierce, sharp, unshaken, locked onto Goliath's monstrous form, calculating every step, every breath, every moment. He said nothing. Goliath growled, irritated by the boy's silence. He slammed his fist against his broad chest, the sound like thunder rolling through the valley. 00:11:31 Speaker 2: You, your people, your pitiful god, you will crumble beneath my feet. 00:11:43 Speaker 1: He leaned forward, pointing his spear directly at David's heart. 00:11:48 Speaker 2: Come to me, boy, and I will feed your flesh to the birds and the beasts. They will tear at your bones until nothing remains. No grave will hold you. No songs will be sung for you. I will ensure there is no glory in your death. It will be quick, effortless, and unceremonious. 00:12:27 Speaker 1: David's lips remained sealed. His eyes flickered to the sky for only a moment. He felt the wind shift, sweeping through the valley from his left to his right. Subtle, but important. He noted its direction. Precision would be everything. Then, with deliberate calm, David cast his staff to the ground at the giant's feet. He stretched out his arms. His voice, clear and unshaken, pierced the silence. 00:12:59 Speaker 4: You come to me adorned in armor. Your sword is long, your spear heavy, your shield vast. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, the liberator of slaves, the creator of the stars. It is he who is your challenger, not I. 00:13:19 Speaker 1: Goliath rolled his neck and shoulders back, preparing himself to pounce on the boy like a lion to a mouse. David gestured at Goliath with an open hand. 00:13:30 Speaker 4: You dare dishonor my God? The one who holds the heavens in his hands? The one who guides the winds and the waves? You are a fool, giant! Come at me with all the strength in your bones, but hear me when I say, this day it will be your flesh that feeds the birds and beasts. It will be your hand that rolls upon the dirt. 00:13:55 Speaker 1: The wind stirred again, whipping through David's hair as he stepped forward, undaunted. For a brief moment, the entire company of Israel watched Goliath take a small, minuscule step backward. The giant's resolve was being challenged, and it seemed to be working. 00:14:16 Speaker 4: All the world will know that there is a god in Israel. All will know that he needs no sword, no spear, no armor. The battle is his. You've already lost. The outcome is final. 00:14:33 Speaker 1: He opened his arms wide, daring the giant. 00:14:37 Speaker 2: So come. 00:14:38 Speaker 1: Come to me, giant. 00:14:40 Speaker 4: Do your worst, and I shall do mine! 00:14:44 Speaker 1: Goliath's fury ignited like wildfire, crackling and roaring in his chest. His snarl twisted into something primal, something monstrous. With a guttural roar that shook the valley, he lunged toward David, each step pounding the earth with the force of a battering ram. Stones cracked under his feet, dust swirling in his wake. David could feel the tremor of each footfall through the soles of his sandals, but he did not waver. His grip on the sling tightened. His heart pounded in rhythm with the giant's charge. He had seen beasts move like this before, fast, ferocious, deadly. But beasts could be felled. As Goliath hurtled forward like a storm unleashed, David took a single step back, calm and deliberate. His fingers slipped into the pouch at his side, retrieving one smooth stone. He placed it in the cradle of his sling and began to swing it in slow, deliberate arcs. The world around him fell silent. No chance from the Philistines. No murmurs from the Israelites, no wind, no sound, but the steady whir of the sling cutting through the still air. David bent his knees, steadying his balance. His eyes never left Goliath. The ground shook beneath the beast's thunderous strides, but David's breathing remained even, measured. O Lord, let me not be put to shame. For I call upon you. Let the wicked be put to shame. 00:16:35 Speaker 4: Let them go silently to shame. 00:16:38 Speaker 1: One shot. He had one shot. If he missed, death would come swiftly. There would be no time to reload. David pivoted his foot back, crouching low like a coiled serpent ready to strike. The stone spun faster and faster above his shoulder, the tension building like an unsung melody. Then, in a single fluid moment, David surged forward. The shepherd boy burst into a sprint, sling swinging behind him. Goliath roared in delight, raising his sword high above his head, ready to cleave the boy in two. But David was faster. With a flick of his wrist, the sling released its payload. The stone hissed through the air like a viper, slicing through the silence with lethal precision. The sound was sickening and unnatural. The stone embedded itself deep into Goliath's forehead, shattering bone and rupturing flesh. The giant's eyes rolled back. His mouth fell open in shock and disbelief. His knees buckled. His momentum faltered. And then, with a deafening crash, Goliath crumpled to the ground like a felled oak. Dust exploded around him as his massive frame struck the earth. The ground trembled beneath the weight of his defeat. For a moment, all was still. The giant, the beast, the terror of Israel lay motionless. But David didn't wait. With the reflexes of a lion, he sprinted forward, vaulting onto the giant's chest. His breath was ragged, his eyes blazing with unshakable resolve. He found Goliath's sword, a monstrous blade too heavy for most men, but in David's hands it felt like destiny. Goliath's glazed eyes stared up at the boy, disbelief flickering for a fleeting moment before death clouded his vision. David raised the sword high above his head. The final thing Goliath saw was not an army, not a king, not a warrior in shining armor. It was a shepherd boy. And then, with a roar that echoed through the valley and pierced the heavens, David swung the sword down in one swift arc. The blade met its mark. Blood spilled onto the earth. The giant's head rolled free from his shoulders. The Philistines all gasped, and the Israelites stood in stunned silence. The shepherd had slain the beast. David's roars pierced the valley like the blast of a war horn. His cries were not the crude shouts of a warrior drunk on blood. nor the hollow chants of men who craved glory. No, David's voice rose like a hymn, a victorious song offered to the Lord of Hosts. His cry, raw and untamed, reverberated through the canyon with a power that felt ancient and divine. It was the sound of a shepherd who knew his flock was safe. He turned to the army of Israel, God's chosen people, and raised the head of Goliath high for all to see. For a moment, there was silence. Then, like the breaking of dawn after the longest night, the men of Israel roared in unison. Their shock melted into exhilaration. Fear gave way to ferocity. They descended the canyon like a tidal wave crashing upon jagged rocks. The Philistines, who only moments before sneered from their lofty perch, now faltered. Panic spread like wildfire through their ranks. Their confidence shattered and they turned and fled. But there was no escape. Israel surged forward, sweeping through the valley and up the opposing cliffs. Steel clashed against steel and blood soaked the ground as the two armies collided. David, still gripping Goliath's sword, cast the giant's head aside and joined the fray. From atop his horse, sword watched, his breath caught in his throat. 00:21:45 Speaker 5: The boy he knew, the quiet, scrappy musician who calmed his tormented mind with strings and song, was gone. 00:21:54 Speaker 1: In his place stood a warrior ablaze with divine purpose. Saul's grip tightened on his sword hilt. His eyes, filled with awe and something darker, remained fixed on David. 00:22:10 Speaker 2: Who is that warrior? 00:22:14 Speaker 1: Who fights like that? But deep down, he already knew. 00:22:20 Speaker 5: It was the shepherd from Bethlehem, Jesse's forgotten son. The boy who played the harp now wielded a sword, and all of Israel would know his name. 00:22:44 Speaker 1: Steve Gatina, Max Bard, Zach Schelleberger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna Pilcher and Mitch Lashinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith. Written by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely and Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey.com productions on the Prey.com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate and leave a review.