1 Samuel 17
1 Now the Philistines, gathering their troops for battle, assembled at Socoh of Judah. And they made camp between Socoh and Azekah, within the borders of Dammim.
And the Philistines gathered together their hosts, unto battle, and they were gathered together unto Socoh, which belongeth unto Judah, —and they encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim;
2 But Saul and the sons of Israel, having gathered together, went to the Valley of Terebinth. And they positioned the army so as to fight against the Philistines.
and, Saul and the men of Israel, gathered themselves together, and encamped in the vale of Elah, and set the army in array against the Philistines.
3 And the Philistines were standing on a mountain on the one side, and Israel was standing on a mountain on the other side. And there was a valley between them.
And, the Philistines, were standing near the hill on one side, and, the Israelites, were standing near the hill on the other side, —while, the valley, was between them.
4 And there went out from the camp of the Philistines, a man of illegitimate birth, named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a palm.
And there came forth a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, Goliath, his name, from Gath, —his height, six cubits and a span;
5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clothed with a breastplate of scales. Moreover, the weight of his breastplate was five thousand shekels of brass.
with a helmet of bronze on his head, and, with a scaly coat of mail, was he clad, —the weight of the coat, being five thousand shekels of bronze;
6 And he had plates of brass on his lower legs, and a small shield of brass was covering his shoulders.
and, greaves of bronze, on his feet, —and, a javelin of bronze, between his shoulders;
7 Now the shaft of his spear was like the beam used by a weaver. And the iron of his spear held six hundred shekels of iron. And his armor bearer went before him.
and, the shaft of his spear, was like a weaver’s beam, and, the flashing head of his spear, was six hundred shekels of iron, —and, his shield-bearer, was coming on before him.
8 And standing still, he cried out to the battle lines of Israel, and he said to them: “Why have you arrived, prepared for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose one man from among you, and let him descend to do battle alone.
And he took his stand, and cried unto the ranks of Israel, and said unto them, Wherefore should ye come out, to set in array for battle? Am not, I, a Philistine, while, ye, are servants unto Saul? Choose you a man, and let him come down unto me:
9 If he is able to fight with me and to strike me down, we will be your servants. But if I will prevail over him, and strike him down, you will be the servants, and you will serve us.”
If he prevail in fighting with me, and smite me, then will we become your servants, —but, if, I, prevail over him, and smite him, then shall ye become our servants, and serve, us.
10 And the Philistine was saying: “I have reproached the troops of Israel today. Present a man to me, and let him undertake a fight against me alone.”
And the Philistine said—I, reproach the ranks of Israel, this day, —give me a man, that we may fight together.
11 And Saul and all the Israelites, hearing these words of the Philistine in this manner, were stupefied and exceedingly afraid.
When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and feared exceedingly.
12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite man, the one mentioned above, from Bethlehem of Judah, whose name was Jesse. He had eight sons, and during the days of Saul, he was an elderly man, and of great age among men.
Now, David, was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose, name, was Jesse, and, who, had eight sons, —and, the man, in the days of Saul was old, advanced in years.
13 Now his three eldest sons followed Saul into battle. And the names of his three sons, who went to the battle, were Eliab, the firstborn, and the second, Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
And the three eldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle, —and, the names of his three sons who went into the battle, were Eliab the firstborn, and, the next to him, Abinadab, and, the third, Shammah.
14 But David was the youngest. Therefore, when the three eldest had followed Saul,
But, as for David, he, was the youngest, —and, the three eldest, followed Saul;
15 David went away from Saul, and he returned, so that he might pasture the flock of his father at Bethlehem.
whereas, David, kept going and returning from Saul, —to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
16 Truly, the Philistine advanced morning and evening, and he stood forth, for forty days.
And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, —and presented himself forty days.
17 Now Jesse said to his son David: “Take, for your brothers, an ephah of cooked grain, and these ten loaves, and hurry to the camp, to your brothers.
And Jesse said unto David his son, Take, I pray thee, unto thy brethren—this ephah of parched corn, and these ten loaves, —and run to the camp unto thy brethren;
18 And you shall carry these ten little cheeses to the tribune. And visit your brothers, to see if they are doing well. And learn with whom they have been stationed.”
also these ten slices of soft cheese, shalt thou take to the captain of their thousand, —and, as for thy brethren, give good heed to their welfare, their pledge, also shalt thou receive.
19 But they were in the valley of Terebinth, with Saul and all the sons of Israel, fighting against the Philistines.
Now, Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the vale of Elah, ready to fight with the Philistines.
20 And so, David rose up in the morning, and he commended the flock to the caretaker. And he went away burdened, just as Jesse had instructed him. And he went to the place of the battle line, and to the army, which, in going out to fight, was shouting in the conflict.
So then David rose up early in the morning, and entrusted the sheep to a keeper, and took up [the provisions] and went his way, as Jesse had commanded him, —and came into the circular rampart, as, the force, was going forth into the ranks, and shouted for the fight.
21 For Israel had positioned their troops, but the Philistines also had prepared themselves against them.
So Israel and the Philistines set in array for battle, army against army.
22 Then, leaving the items that he had brought under the hand of the keeper of baggage, David ran to the place of the conflict. And he was asking if all was going well with his brothers.
Then David entrusted the provisions that were upon him to the care of the keeper of the stores, and ran unto the ranks, —and came and asked for the welfare of his brethren.
23 And while he was still speaking with them, there appeared the man of spurious descent, whose name was Goliath, the Philistine of Gath, ascending from the camp of the Philistines. And he was speaking in these same words, which David heard.
Now, as he was speaking with them, lo! the champion coming up, Goliath the Philistine, by name, of Gath, [coming up] out of the ranks of the Philistines, and he spake according to these words, —and David heard [them].
24 Then all the Israelites, when they had seen the man, fled from his face, fearing him greatly.
Now, all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from before him, and feared exceedingly.
25 And someone of Israel said: “Have you seen this man, who has risen up. For he ascended in order to reproach Israel. Therefore, the man who will strike him down, the king will enrich with great wealth, and will give to him his daughter, and will cause his father’s house to be free of tribute in Israel.”
And the men of Israel said—Have ye seen this man that is coming up? For, to reproach Israel, is he coming. So then it shall be, that, the man that shall smite him, the same, will the king enrich with great riches, and, his own daughter, will give him, and, his father’s house, will he make free in Israel.
26 And David spoke to the men who were standing with him, saying: “What will be given to the man who will have struck down this Philistine, and who will have taken away the disgrace from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should reproach the soldiers of the living God?”
Then spake David unto the men that were standing by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that shall smite yonder Philistine, and so shall take away reproach from off Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he hath reproached the ranks of a Living God?
27 Then the people repeated to him the same words, saying, “These things shall be given to the man who will have struck him down.”
And the people answered him, according to this word saying, —So, shall it be done to the man that shall smite him.
28 Now when Eliab, his eldest brother, had heard this, as he was speaking with the others, he became angry against David, and he said: “Why did you come here? And why did you leave behind those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the wickedness of your heart, that you have come down so that you might see the battle.”
Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men, —then was kindled the anger of Eliab against David, and he said—Wherefore is it that thou hast come down? and to whom hast thou entrusted those few sheep in the wilderness? I, know thy pride, and the foolishness of thy heart, for, to see the battle, hast thou come down.
29 And David said: “What have I done? Is there any word against me?”
And David said, What have I done, now? Was there not, a cause?
30 And he turned away from him a little, toward another. And he asked the same question. And the people responded to him as before.
Then turned he from him unto another, and said—according to this word, —and the people returned him an answer, like the first.
31 Now the words that David had spoken were heard and reported in the sight of Saul.
And the words which David spake were overheard, —and, when they told them before Saul, he summoned him.
32 When he had been led to Saul, he said to him: “Let no one lose heart over him. I, your servant, shall go and fight against the Philistine.”
And David said unto Saul, Let not the heart of my lord fail, because of him, —thy servant, will go, and fight with this Philistine.
33 And Saul said to David: “You are not able to withstand this Philistine, nor to fight against him. For you are a boy, but he has been a warrior from his boyhood.”
And Saul said unto David—Thou art not able to go against this Philistine, to fight with him, —for, a youth, art, thou, but, he, a man of war, from his youth.
34 And David said to Saul: “Your servant was pasturing the flock of his father. And there approached a lion or a bear, and it took a ram from the midst of the flock.
Then said David unto Saul, Thy servant used to tend his father’s sheep, —and there would come a lion, or a bear, and carry off a lamb out of the flock;
35 And I pursued after them, and I struck them, and I rescued from their mouth. And they rose up against me. And I caught them by the throat, and I strangled and killed them.
and I would go out after him, and smite him, and rescue it out of his mouth, —and, if he rose against me, I would catch him by his beard, and smite him, and slay him.
36 For I, your servant, have killed both lion and bear. And so this uncircumcised Philistine, too, will be like one of them. Now I will go and take away the reproach of the people. For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, who has dared to curse the army of the living God?”
Thy servant could slay, either a lion or a bear, —and, this uncircumcised Philistine, shall become, as one of them, for he hath reproached the ranks of a Living God.
37 And David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the hand of the lion, and from the hand of the bear, he himself will free me from the hand of this Philistine.” Then Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”
And David said, Yahweh, who hath rescued me out of the power of the lion, and out of the power of the bear, he, will rescue us out of the hand of this Philistine. Then said Saul unto David—Go! and, Yahweh, will be with thee.
38 And Saul clothed David with his garments. And he placed a helmet of brass upon his head, and he clothed him with a breastplate.
And Saul clad David with his own military coat, and set a helmet of bronze upon his head, —and clad him with a coat of mail.
39 Then David, having girded his sword over his armor, began to see if he could walk in the armor. But he was not accustomed to it. And David said to Saul: “I cannot move about in this way. For I am not used to it.” And he put them aside.
And David girded his sword above his military coat, but was reluctant to go, for he had not proved them, —so David said unto Saul—I cannot go in these, for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
40 And he took up his staff, which he held always in his hands. And he chose for himself five very smooth stones from the torrent. And he put them into the shepherd’s bag that he had with him. And he took up a sling in his hand. And he went out against the Philistine.
Then took he his stick in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the torrent-bed, and put them in the shepherd’s-pouch which he had—even in the wallet, and had his sling in his hand, —and so drew near unto the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine, advancing, went and drew near against David. And his armor bearer was before him.
And the Philistine came on and on, and drew near unto David, —and the man carrying the shield was before him.
42 And when the Philistine had seen and considered David, he despised him. For he was a youth, ruddy and of handsome appearance.
And, when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him, —for he was a youth, and ruddy, a stripling of fair countenance.
43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you approach against me with a staff?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
Then said the Philistine unto David, A dog, am, I, that thou art coming unto me, with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David, by his god.
44 And he said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth.”
And the Philistine said unto David, —Come, unto me, that I may give thy flesh to the birds of heaven, and to the beasts of the field.
45 But David said to the Philistine: “You approach me with sword, and spear, and shield. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which you have reproached.
Then said David unto the Philistine—Thou, art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with javelin, —but, I, am coming unto thee in the name of Yahweh of hosts, God of the ranks of Israel which thou hast reproached.
46 Today, the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down. And I will take your head from you. And today, I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that God is with Israel.
This day, will Yahweh deliver thee into my hand, and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee, and will give thy dead body and the dead bodies of the host of Philistines, this day, unto the birds of heaven, and unto the wild beasts of the earth, —that all the earth may know that Israel hath a God;
47 And this entire assembly will know that the Lord does not save by sword, nor by spear. For this is his war, and he will deliver you into our hands.”
and that all this gathered host may know that, not with sword and with spear, doth Yahweh save, —for, unto Yahweh, belongeth the battle, and he will deliver you into our hand.
48 Then, when the Philistine had risen up, and was approaching, and was drawing near against David, David hurried and ran to the fight against the Philistine.
And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the ranks to meet the Philistine.
49 And he put his hand into his bag, and took out one stone. And swinging it around, he cast it with the sling and struck the Philistine on the forehead. And the stone became imbedded in his forehead. And he fell on his face, upon the ground.
And David thrust his hand into his pouch, and took from thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine, in his forehead, —that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face, to the earth.
50 And David prevailed against the Philistine with a sling and a stone. And he struck and killed the Philistine. But since David held no sword in his hand,
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine, with the sling and with the stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him, —but, sword, was there none in the hand of David.
51 he ran and stood over the Philistine, and he took his sword, and withdrew it from the sheath. And he killed him and cut off his head. Then the Philistines, seeing that their strongest man was dead, fled away.
So David ran, and stood by the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off, therewith, his head, —and, when the Philistines saw that their hero was slain, they fled.
52 And the men of Israel and Judah, rising up, shouted and pursued after the Philistines, even until they arrived at the valley and as far as the gates of Ekron. And many wounded among the Philistines fell on the way of Shaaraim, and as far as Gath, and as far as Ekron.
Then arose the men of Israel and Judah, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, as far as the entrance into Gath, and as far as the gates of Ekron, —and the slain of the Philistines fell in the way to the two gates, even as far as Gath and as far as Ekron.
53 And the sons of Israel, returning after they had pursued the Philistines, invaded their camp.
And the sons of Israel returned from hotly pursuing the Philistines, —and plundered their camps.
54 Then David, taking up the head of the Philistine, brought it to Jerusalem. Yet truly, he placed his armor in his own tent.
And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it into Jerusalem, —but, his armour, put he into his tent.
55 Now at the time that Saul had seen David going out against the Philistines, he said to Abner, the leader of the military, “From what stock is this youth descended, Abner?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”
And, when Saul saw David going forth to meet the Philistine, he said unto Abner, prince of the host, Whose son is the young man, Abner? And Abner said, By the life of thy soul, O king! I know not.
56 And the king said, “You shall inquire as to whose son this boy may be.”
Then said the king, —Ask, thou, whose son the stripling is?
57 And when David had returned, after the Philistine had been struck down, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul, having the head of the Philistine in his hand.
And, when David returned from smiting the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul, —with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
58 And Saul said to him, “Young man, from what ancestry are you?” And David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”
And Saul said unto him, Whose son art, thou, O young man? And David said, Son of thy servant Jesse, the Bethlehemite.
