In the Valley of Elah
In the Valley of Elah
Chris Dickinson
I
Philistia’s armies assembled at dawn;
Their armory glist’ning like dew on the lawn.
The hosts of all Israel at Ephes-Dammim
Exalted their standards, which caught the sun’s gleam.
The legionnaires stood on each side of the vale
As Israel clattered their swords on their mail.
The armies of God split the skies with their shout:
To strike the uncircumcised, and put them to rout.
When up from the midst of the Philistines’ host
A black form arose like the shade of a ghost.
The heads of all others came but to his knees;
He blocked out the sun, and he halted the breeze.
For there stood Goliath, that dragon of Gath.
He fumed in his anger, he foamed in his wrath.
A Creten Colossus – six cubits and more,
And all Elah quaked as he trod on its floor.
His bronze helmet shone like the dome of the sun.
The greaves on his legs like a shield of the Hun.
The clank of his mail was the cracking of doom.
The shaft of his spear like the beam from a loom.
Then turning to Jacob’s great host made assay:
“Why come all you out in your battle array?
Am I not a Philistine – you men of Saul?
Why should you be covered this day in a pall?
Choose now but a man from your warriors brave;
If he can defeat me, then we’ll be your slave!
But I vanquish him, then the same goes for you –
You shall be our servants and pay all your due.”
“Come now,” said the giant, “and show us your might;
Give me now a man that he join me in fight.”
And lifting his hands to the heavens did cry:
“This day I the armies of Jacob defy!”
The armies of Saul shuddered – sorely afraid –
And prayed to Jehovah to send them His aid;
A savior, who would evil’s forces destroy,
And bring them once more to God’s glory and joy.
II
Now list--! Far away from the black battle’s fray
Where Bethlehem of the tribe Ephraim lay;
Where time knew no beat of the dread soldier’s clock…
A young boy sat singing – and watching his flock.
Then old father Jesse called out to his son:
“Take grain and these loaves, and then to the camp run,
And bring me back news of your brother’ estate;
For now, the fierce Philistines govern their fate.
So David arose, and left early next morn;
And reaching the camp, heard the warrior’s horn.
Then crossing the line with his brothers to speak
Beheld the dread sight which made Israel weak.
The Gathian, threatening, caused Jacob to flee;
“Whoe’er slays this giant, his house shall be free!
And furthermore Saul will give unto his hand
His fair daughter Michal—and riches—and land!”
Then David’s wrath burned like the sun o’er Cadiz:
“Who does this uncircumcised think that he is?!
I’ll answer the challenge, and win all this laud,
For how dare he threaten the armies of God?!”
When Saul heard these words, he sent out for the lad,
And said unto David, “What, man, are you mad?!”
You are but a stripling, and this man, in truth
Has been a great warrior e’er since his youth!”
But David soon answered this ignorant mock:
“Your servant was tending his old father’s flock.
When bear, or when lion abducted a lamb,
I rose to reclaim it, like I was their dam.
I slew with my hands both the lion and bear,
And this giant will be like one of that pair.
For God, who delivered me out of their paw
Will also redeem me from this giant’s maw.”
So David departed with blessing of Saul,
But set by his sword, and his armor and all;
And reaching a brook, picked out five smooth stones small,
And made toward the giant, to thrive or to fall.
III
The Philistine saw youthful David approach,
And straightway disdaining, held him in reproach:
“Come now, men of Saul, I’ve enough of your tricks—
Am I now a dog, that you threaten with sticks?
By Dagon, Astarte, Asherah and Ba’al—
I’ll cast your rent corpse to each side of the vale!
Now come to me, boy, and your flesh will I yield
To the birds of the air, and the beasts of the field!”
Then David looked up and spoke out loud and clear:
“You come to me now with a sword and a spear;
But I come to you in the name of the Lord!
The God of our fathers, whom you have abhorred.
This day will the Lord give you unto my hand,
And down will I strike you—laid out on the land.
And then will I sever your head from your girth,
And give your host’s flesh to the beasts of the earth.
For then, will all earth know that there is a God
In Israel, whom all the heavens applaud.
And all this assembly will know that the Lord
Delivereth not by the spear or the sword!”
In anger, the Gathian loped toward the green,
While David ran swift toward the great Philistine.
And as he careered, placed a stone in his sling,
That loosed, straightway flew like a bird on the wing.
…
The pebble sunk deep in the Gathian’s head,
And all of his host whispered soft: “Is he—?”
But David at once drew Goliath’s great sword,
And severed his head `fore the eyes of the Lord.
Then all of Philistia fled in their fear
That Israel pursued like the lion the deer.
And strewing their corpses from Judah to Gath
Laid low ev’ry Philistine found in their path.
And thus did Jehovah to Israel bring
Salvation through but one small stone and a sling.
And all of God’s army remembered that day
That God is a rock, and all men are but clay.
So listen, dear reader, to my humble song,
And be not dismayed by the enemy’s throng.
For vict’ry goes not to the greatest in size,
But to those who trust in our God only wise.
Dr. Chris Dickinson
Writer & Educator
Chris has been published in Spectral Realms, ParABnormal, and The Mythic Circle. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor of English Literature at Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Georgia. His first book of poetry, Sonnets from the Psalms, Volume I, was recently published with Orison Publishers in December of 2023.
Photography by Quaritsch