His saying, exalted and glorified is He: "And when they appeared before Goliath and his soldiers, they said, 'Our Lord, pour upon us patience and make firm our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people.'" "So they defeated them by permission of Allah, and David killed Goliath, and Allah gave him kingship and wisdom and taught him from what He wills."

"They appeared" means: they became in the open, which is the broad area of the land, the spacious one. And Goliath is a foreign name that has been Arabized. And 'pouring' is the greatest of the pouring, as it implies the generality of what is poured upon it. And 'defeat' originally means that something is struck so that part of it enters into part of another. Likewise, the army that is repelled rides its repulsion. Then it was said in the meaning of victory: he defeated. And Goliath was the chief of the giants and their king, and it is narrated that there were three hundred thousand horsemen.

And it is narrated in the story of David and his killing of Goliath that among the companions of Saul were the brothers of David, and they were the sons of Jesse. And David was small, tending sheep for his father. When the war approached, he said to himself: 'I will surely go to see this war.' When he set out, he passed by a stone that called out to him: 'O David, take me, for with me you will kill Goliath.' Then another stone called out to him, then another, then another, so he took them and placed them in his pouch. And he walked on. When the people gathered, Goliath came out seeking a challenger, and the people shrank back from him until Saul said:

Whoever confronts him and kills him, I will marry him my daughter and appoint him over my wealth. Then came David, and he said: I will confront him and kill him. Talut said to him: Mount my horse and take my weapon. So he did, and he went out in the best of armor. When he walked a little, he returned. The people said: The young man has become cowardly. David said: If Allah does not kill him for me and assist me against him, this horse will not benefit me, nor this weapon. But I love to fight him in my usual manner. David was one of the best marksmen with the sling. He descended and took his sling and equipped himself with it. He took his sling and went out to Jalut while he was doubtful about his weapon. Jalut said to him: Are you, O young man, coming out to me? He said: Yes. He said: Is this how one goes out to a dog? He said: Yes, and you are easier. He said: I will feed your flesh to the birds and the beasts today. Then they drew near, and David whirled his sling. He put his hand into the stones, and it is narrated that they gathered together and became one stone. He took it and placed it in the sling, mentioned Allah, whirled it, and threw it. He struck Jalut's head and killed him. He severed his head and placed it in his sling. The people mixed together, and the companions of Talut charged. There was a defeat. Then David came seeking his condition from Talut. He said to him: The daughters of kings have peculiarities regarding the dowry, and you must kill two hundred of these oppressors who harm the people, and bring me their foreskins. Talut hoped to expose David to death with this terror. David killed two hundred of them and brought that, and he requested his wife, and Talut gave her to him. The matter of David became great. It is narrated that Talut relinquished the kingship to him and he became the king. It is narrated that the Children of Israel overcame Talut regarding that because David killed Jalut, and he was the cause of the victory. It is narrated that Talut frightened David until he fled from him, and he was in a mountain until Talut died. The Children of Israel went to David and made him their king. It is narrated that the Prophet of Allah, Shamu'il, was inspired by Allah to go to Ishai and ask him to present his sons to him, so that he may anoint the one indicated with the oil of sanctity and make him the king of the Children of Israel. And Allah knows best which of that was, except that it is cut from the words of the verse that David became the king of the Children of Israel.

It has been narrated at the beginning of this story that David was walking in Talut's kitchen, then a stone spoke to him, and he took it, and that was the reason for killing Jalut and his kingship. Many people have elaborated on the stories of this verse, and all of that has weak chains of narration. Therefore, I have selected from it what clarifies the verse, and makes known the transitions of the descent, and I have summarized the rest of that.

As for the wisdom that Allah granted him, it is prophethood and the Psalms. Al-Suddi said: Allah granted him the kingship of Talut and the prophethood of Sham'un. And what He taught him was the craft of armor-making, the language of birds, and other types of his knowledge, blessings and peace be upon him.