Unbeknown to the Rabbits, something wonderful was just about to happen. A few miles away a young boy, called David, was on his way to visit his brothers on the battlefield in the Valley. He was carrying food for them from his father.
As David reached the Camp of the Israelites he was just in time to hear their war cry as they took their battle positions, so he quickly left his food with the Quartermaster who was in charge of the stores, and ran to the battle lines to say “Hello” to his brothers.
Meanwhile, back in the Rabbits’ burrow, the children were asking ‘May we go to the Camp of the Israelites today, Daddy?’
‘You said God had a Plan for them, and it may be today!’ Rupert added eagerly.
‘Yes, I think perhaps it might’ Daddy agreed. ‘So it may be a good idea to go along and see.’
They set off at once, and they, too, reached the battle lines of the Israelites at the same time as David was looking for his brothers.
Then across the Valley came the bellowing sound of Goliath’s voice as he challenged the soldiers once again to send out a man to fight him. He sounded fiercer than ever, and at his words the Israelite soldiers ran back to their Camp in fear. The Rabbits ran with them to see what would happen, but David followed more slowly as if he were thinking about what could be done.
When he reached the soldiers David heard them saying ‘This giant has insulted the whole Army of Israel.’
‘That’s true’ agreed Rupert as they stood nearby. ‘And someone should do something about it!’
‘Ssh!’ said Rhoda ‘Or we’ll miss what they are saying.’
‘Have you heard what the King has said?’ asked one of the soldiers to the group around him, and the Rabbits edged even nearer.
‘He says he will give a lot of money to the man who kills Goliath and his father’s family needn’t pay any more taxes!’
‘Yes, and the man can marry the King’s daughter too’ added another soldier as he joined the group.
The little Rabbits looked at each other. Surely someone would come forward now!

‘What did you say the King will give the man who kills Goliath?’ he asked.
So the soldiers repeated what they had just said.
‘Who is this Philistine who dares to laugh at the Army of the Living God?’ he asked angrily.
‘That’s right - you tell them!’ shouted Rupert, and he stood on his hind legs and pretended to box the bragging Goliath. ‘Oh, if only I were bigger’ he said, and Rhoda and Rachel giggled.
But Eliab, David’s oldest brother, had been part of the group and heard what David said. He was very annoyed.
‘What are you doing here?’ he asked. ‘You are a cheeky boy coming here to watch the battle. Who is looking after the sheep? THAT is your job, not snooping around here to see what you can see!'
‘Now what have I done?’ asked David. ‘I was only asking a question.’
But Eliab stamped off angrily, and when David saw him go he began talking again to the soldiers.
‘I could fight Goliath’ he said. But the soldiers laughed and one of them pushed him away.
‘I could’ David insisted and he began to explain.
At first the soldiers were full of ridicule, but, as David talked, their annoyance turned to wonder. Maybe - just maybe - there could be a chance!
Rachel had wandered a little way from the others by this time and she found herself outside a large tent. Carefully she peeped in, and when she saw how beautiful it was inside she gasped. ‘It must be the King’s tent’ she thought, and just as she was thinking, in walked the King himself. He sat down on a stool and put his head in his hands.
‘Whatever can we do?’ Rachel heard him say. ‘There is absolutely no-one to fight such a giant.’
Rachel was just about to hop in and tell him not to worry as the Lord God of Israel would fight for them, when a soldier asked if he could speak to the King. Wearily the King lifted his head. ‘Come in’ he said, and so the soldier entered and told the King all about David.
‘Bring him to me’ the King commanded, and, as the soldier left to find David, so Rachel ran back to the others in great excitement.
‘Come quickly’ she called. ‘King Saul has sent for David.’
‘How do you know that?’ asked Rupert in amazement.
Rachel explained.
‘Can you remember the way back to the King’s tent?’ her Daddy asked as they hurried along.
‘Oh, yes. It’s easy to find. It’s a very large tent, and very beautiful inside.’
'Come on then' shouted Rupert and off they ran. They reached the tent before David and hid themselves behind some beautiful blue curtains.
David then entered the tent and he and King Saul began to talk.
‘I will fight this Philistine for you’ the Rabbits heard him say.
‘WOW!’ shouted Rupert.
‘Ssh!’ said the others putting their hands over his mouth. But Rupert wriggled himself free and peeped round the curtain, he was so excited!
King Saul looked at David in astonishment. ‘Impossible!’ he said. ‘Goliath is a man with years and years of fighting experience, and you are just a boy.’
But David persisted. ‘I may only be a boy, but I’ve fought Lions and Bears, and killed them when they took my father’s sheep, and I will kill this Philistine too because he has insulted the Army of the Living God. And God who took care of me when I was looking after the sheep will take care of me now.’
‘Look at David’s face’ whispered Daddy. ‘See how he trusts the Living God’ and as the children and King Saul looked they saw a wonderful love and trust in God shining in David’s face.

Elizabeth Aynsley 1945 ©

Ch.4