ocr: acceptable style of settling ditterences in ancient times. AS Tom Wolfe explains it in The Right Stuff, "Originally it had a magical meaning. They pelieved that the gods determined the outcome of single combat; therefore, it was useless for the losing side to engage in a Tull-scale battle." During many lonely hours as a shepherd boy, David had honed his slingshot skills to a state of pertection. But he took no personal credit for the victory. "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, - he shouted to Goliath, "but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the ...