Trusting God Against All Odds - Ken Shigematsu | September 13, 2026

¹Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephesdammim. ²Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines. ³The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them. ⁴A champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span went out. ⁵He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he wore a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. ⁶He had bronze shin armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. ⁷The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer went before him. ⁸He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. ⁹If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.” ¹⁰The Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel today! Give me a man, that we may fight together!”

¹¹When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.