- sling stones:
- The sling was a very ancient warlike instrument; and, in the hands of those who were skilled in the use of it, produced astonishing effects. The inhabitants of the islands of Baleares, now Majorca and Minorca, were the most celebrated slingers of antiquity. They did not permit their children to break their fast, till they had struck down the bread they had to eat from the top of a pole, or some distant eminence. Vegetius tells us, that slingers could in general hit the mark at 600 feet distance. "And he tookª° his staffª in his hand,ª and choseª° him fiveª smoothª stonesª out of¹ the brook,ª and putª° them in a shepherd'sª° bagª which¹ he had, even in a scrip;ª and his slingª [was] in his hand:ª and he drew nearª° to¹ the Philistine.ª" {1Sm 17:40} + "And Davidª putª°¹ his handª in¹ his bag,ª and tookª° thence¹¹ a stone,ª and slangª° [it], and smoteª°¹ the Philistineª in¹ his forehead,ª that the stoneª sunkª° into his forehead;ª and he fellª° upon¹ his faceª to the earth.ª ... So Davidª prevailedª° overª the Philistineª with a slingª and with a stone,ª and smoteª°¹ the Philistine,ª and slewª° him; but [there was] no¹ swordª in the handª of David.ª" {1Sm 17:49-50} + "Yet a manª is risenª° to pursueª° thee, and to seekª°¹ thy soul:ª but the soulª of my lordª shall be¹ boundª° in the bundleª of lifeª with¹ the LORDª thy God;ª and the soulsª of thine enemies,ª° them shall he sling out,ª° [as out] of the middleª² of a sling.ª" {1Sm 25:29} + "And Uzziahª preparedª° for them throughout all¹ the hostª shields,ª and spears,ª and helmets,ª and habergeons,ª and bows,ª and slingsª [to cast] stones.ª" {2Ch 26:14}
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