This an excerpt from an article I wrote, suggesting the value of midrash discussions on Biblical narratives.

In a group theological reflection, suppose the story of David meeting Goliath is discussed using aggadic midrash. Focusing on the initial part where David enters the field of battle, perhaps one of them, named “Bill,” tells a part of his story.

As young David approached the brook that he had to cross to meet Goliath, all he had with him was a staff and a sling. He looked down and saw many different rocks. Some were flat— a bad choice to launch from a sling. Some had major cracks in them— making their desired impact uncertain. But then he saw some solid looking stones, worn smooth from centuries of water flowing over them. David thinks to himself. ‘Goliath is such a huge man, I must hit him squarely in the forehead to bring him down. I will need one stone for him, but he also has four brothers. I should grab four more stones— one for each of them— to remind myself that they are also a danger to God’s chosen people.

A second story was shared by “Ted”:

Young David reached the brook. Once he crossed the brook, he is in the field of battle. Having only his staff and sling with him, David realized that he had to hit Goliath squarely in a vulnerable place with a stone. Looking down he sees several fine looking stones, smooth and round. He takes what looks like the best one and puts it in his pouch. But then he thought to himself, “But what if I miss, or what if I don’t hit him hard enough?” He reaches down and grabs another fine looking stone. But again he is uncertain. He takes another and another until he has five total. He thinks of taking a sixth but that decides against it. He thinks that he is unlikely to get more than five chances to hit Goliath before he would be upon him. “Oh Lord God, may one of these five stones hit its mark, and may You grant Israel victory over its enemies for Your namesake.” Resolutely, David crossed the stream to face his opponent..

As the group discusses these two stories, they realize that neither story can be confirmed since the Bible is silent on why David grabbed 5 stones (as opposed to 1 or 2 or 19). That being said, as the group reflected on the first story, what insight could be gathered? In it David was super-confident and had special, perhaps prophetic, knowledge about Goliath’s family. For the second story, David is confident of ultimate victory, but seems uncertain as to how it will be accomplished. His trust is in God, not necessarily in his own skill or his ability to predict the future. In my view a discussion by the group would most likely find the second story to be the stronger one, not necessarily because it is historically true, but because it provides a perspective that is useful for us.

Robert H. Munson “Biblical Commentary as Story: Is There a Place for Aggadic Midrash in Oral Cultures?” https://www.academia.edu/108401821/Biblical_Commentary_as_Story_Is_There_a_Place_for_Aggadic_Midrash_in_Oral_Cultures

Follow on of this idea is available in the Sermon Here