David Accepts the Challenge
20 So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle array, army against army. 22 Then David left his baggage in the [k]care of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. 23 As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them.
24 When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid. 25 The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house [l]free in Israel.”
26 Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” 27 The people [m]answered him in accord with this word, saying, “Thus it will be done for the man who kills him.”
28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” 29 But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a [n]question?” 30 Then he turned [o]away from him to another and said the same thing; and the people answered the same thing as [p]before.
There was definitely some sibling rivalry in David’s family, and his brother was not happy about David asking questions. But I don’t think we see the true reasons from either of the brothers.
The day starts with the soldiers shouting a war cry as they go out to do battle. But no matter how much courage they mustered in their camaraderie, they dared not do battle with Goliath. Eliab was no doubt embarrassed to have his little brother around to watch the “battle” which ended without a single challenge to answer Goliath.
But David had been asking this same question multiple times to make sure he knew what was going on, and his reply to Eliab hides his true motive. Eliab had not guessed it, but this was definitely not “just a question”.
When we shirk from from the battle, and let fear rule our lives, it is easy to misconstrue the motives of those willing to engage. We certainly don’t want to show our fear, and so we hide behind accusations.
If God puts a giant in your path, don’t shy away, or you might find yourself in the same place, feeling ashamed and trying to bring down those willing to do the hard thing.