According to the Old Testament, David used a sling to defeat Goliath.
The story appears in 1 Samuel 17. David, a young shepherd from Bethlehem, faces Goliath, a champion of the Philistines, after volunteering to fight him. David rejects Saul’s armor because he is not accustomed to it, takes his staff, selects five smooth stones from a stream, and uses a sling to strike Goliath in the forehead.
After Goliath falls, David takes the Philistine’s sword and uses it to kill him. That detail explains a common mistake: the weapon that brings down Goliath is the sling, while the sword is used afterward. The story contrasts Goliath’s armor and size with David’s confidence, agility, and skill.
The account became one of the best-known biblical stories about an apparently weak opponent overcoming a stronger one. David later becomes king of Israel, while the narrative presents this victory as an important early step in his rise.