>> he's running a protection racket. he's got bodies piling up all over the place. he's strategically marrying women in different parts of the land of israel to consolidate his run for the throne. >> reporter: but that wasn't how it all started. the first time we meet david in the bible, he's an innocent young shepherd boy with that stone in his hand. he was the only one from his tribe brave enough to face goliath, the most fearsome fighter from a rival tribe, the philistines, whom the bible described as over ten feet tall. >> we don't have any proof that david actually ever fought goliath. and yet it does to a certain extent make sense. we know that the philistines were there. we know that the israelites were there. we know that they're banging heads against each other. >> reporter: and it is written that david felled the giant with only a slingshot. and we all think of it as the teeny little pea that brought down a giant. >> well, the slingshot at that