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.
Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. They were gathered at Sokoh, which belongs to Judah. They had encamped between Sokoh 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.
Saul and the men of Israel gathered and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up their battle line to meet 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.
The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side with a valley 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.
A strong man came out of the Philistines' camp, a man named Goliath of Gath, whose height was 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.
He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of chainmail. The coat weighed 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.
He had bronze armor on his legs 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.
The staff of his spear was large, with a loop of cord for throwing it like the cord on a weaver's beam. His spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer went 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.
He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am not I a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to 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 is able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be your servants. But if I defeat him and kill him, then you will be 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.”
Again the Philistine said, “I challenge the ranks of Israel today. Give me a man so 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 what the Philistine said, they were discouraged and greatly afraid.
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 the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse. He had eight sons. Jesse was an old man in the days of Saul, very old among men.
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.
The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
14 But David was the youngest. Therefore, when the three eldest had followed Saul,
David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul.
15 David went away from Saul, and he returned, so that he might pasture the flock of his father at Bethlehem.
Now David went back and forth between Saul's army and his father's sheep at Bethlehem, in order to feed them.
16 Truly, the Philistine advanced morning and evening, and he stood forth, for forty days.
For forty days the Philistine strong man came near morning and evening to present himself for battle.
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.
Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take to your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp for your brothers.
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 bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand. See how your brothers are doing and bring back some proof that they are doing well.
19 But they were in the valley of Terebinth, with Saul and all the sons of Israel, fighting against the Philistines.
Your brothers are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting 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.
David got up early in the morning and left the flock in the care of a shepherd. He took the supplies and left, as Jesse commanded him. He came to the camp as the army was going out to the battlefield shouting the war cry.
21 For Israel had positioned their troops, but the Philistines also had prepared themselves against them.
Then Israel and the Philistines lined up 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.
David left his belongings with the keeper of supplies, ran to the army, and greeted his brothers.
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.
As he talked with them, the strong man, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, and he came out of the ranks of the Philistines, and said the same words as before, and David heard them.
24 Then all the Israelites, when they had seen the man, fled from his face, fearing him greatly.
When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were very afraid.
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.”
The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? He has come to challenge Israel. The king will give great riches to the man who kills him, and he will give his daughter to him in marriage, and will make his father's house free from taxation 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?”
David said to the men who stood by him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the 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.”
Then the people repeated what they had been saying and told him, “So it will be done for the man who kills 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.”
Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the mischief in your heart; for you have come down here so that you might see the battle.”
29 And David said: “What have I done? Is there any word against me?”
David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a question?”
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.
He turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way. The people answered the same thing as before.
31 Now the words that David had spoken were heard and reported in the sight of Saul.
When the words that David said were heard, soldiers repeated them to Saul, and he sent for David.
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.”
Then David said to Saul, “Let no man's heart fail because of that Philistine; your 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.”
Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are only a youth, and 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.
But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took 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.
I chased after him and attacked him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he rose up against me, I caught him by his beard, struck him, and killed 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?”
Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has challenged the armies of the 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.”
David said, “Yahweh rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear. He will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Then Saul said to David, “Go, and may Yahweh be with you.”
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.
Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze upon his head, and he clothed him with a coat of chainmail.
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.
David strapped his sword on his armor. But he was not able to walk, because he had not trained with them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go out to fight with these, for I have not trained with them.” So David put them off.
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.
He took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones out of the brook; he put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand as he approached the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine, advancing, went and drew near against David. And his armor bearer was before him.
The Philistine came and approached David, with his shield bearer in front of him.
42 And when the Philistine had seen and considered David, he despised him. For he was a youth, ruddy and of handsome appearance.
When the Philistine looked around and saw David, he despised him, for he was only a boy, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance.
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 the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?,” and the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
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.”
The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the heavens 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.
David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin. But I come to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
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.
Today Yahweh will give me victory over you, and I will kill you and remove your head from your body. Today I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the heavens and to the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,
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 gathering may know that Yahweh does not give victory with sword or spear. For the battle is Yahweh's, and he will give 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.
When the Philistine rose and approached David, then David ran quickly toward the enemy army to meet him.
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.
David put his hand in his bag, took a stone from it, slung it, and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank into the Philistine's forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.
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,
David defeated the Philistine with a sling and with a stone. He hit the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in David's hand.
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.
Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword, drew it out of the sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their strong man was dead, 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 the men of Israel and of Judah rose with a shout, and chased after the Philistines as far as the valley and the gates of Ekron. The dead Philistines lay along the way to Shaaraim, all the way to Gath and Ekron.
53 And the sons of Israel, returning after they had pursued the Philistines, invaded their camp.
The people of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.
54 Then David, taking up the head of the Philistine, brought it to Jerusalem. Yet truly, he placed his armor in his own tent.
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in 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.”
When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” Abner said, “As you live, king, I do not know.”
56 And the king said, “You shall inquire as to whose son this boy may be.”
The king said, “Ask those who might know, whose son the boy 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.
When David returned from killing 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.”
Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
