1 N ow the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. They were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah. They set up their tents between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.

Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle and were assembled at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.

2 S aul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and set up their tents in the valley of Elah. They came up dressed for battle to fight against the Philistines.

Saul and the men of Israel were encamped in the Valley of Elah and drew up in battle array against the Philistines.

3 T he Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.

And the Philistines stood on a mountain on one side and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.

4 T hen a strong fighter came out from the armies of the Philistines. His name was Goliath, from Gath. He was almost twice as tall as most men.

And a champion went out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

5 H e had a head covering of brass, and wore brass battle-clothes that weighed as much as 5, 000 silver pieces.

And he had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of mail, and the coat weighed 5, 000 shekels of bronze.

6 H e wore brass leg-coverings, and had a brass spear on his shoulders.

He had bronze shin armor on his legs and a bronze javelin across his shoulders.

7 T he long part of his spear was like a cross-piece used on a cloth-maker. The iron head of his spear weighed as much as 600 pieces of silver. A man walked before him to carry his shield.

And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; his spear’s head weighed 600 shekels of iron. And a shield bearer went before him.

8 G oliath stood and called out to the army of Israel, saying, “Why have you come out dressed for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.

Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.

9 I f he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I fight him and kill him, then you must become our servants and work for us.”

If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.

10 A gain the Philistine said, “I stand against the army of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.”

And the Philistine said, I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.

11 W hen Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were troubled and very afraid.

When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

12 N ow David was the son of Jesse, an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and was old in the days of Saul. He had lived many years.

David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah named Jesse, who had eight sons. in the days of Saul was old, advanced in years.

13 J esse’s three older sons had followed Saul to the battle. Their names were Eliab the first-born, next Abinadab, and third Shammah.

three eldest sons had followed Saul into battle. Their names were Eliab the firstborn; next, Abinadab; and third, Shammah.

14 D avid was the youngest. The three oldest sons followed Saul.

David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul,

15 B ut David went to and from Saul, to take care of his father’s flock at Bethlehem.

But David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

16 T he Philistine came out and showed himself morning and evening for forty days.

The Philistine came out morning and evening, presenting himself for forty days.

17 T hen Jesse said to his son David, “Take for your brothers a basket of this baked grain and these ten loaves. Hurry and carry them to your brothers among the army.

And Jesse said to David his son, Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain and these ten loaves and carry them quickly to your brothers at the camp.

18 A nd take these ten pieces of cheese to the leader of the thousand man group who is with them. See how your brothers are doing, and bring me news of them.

Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See how your brothers fare and bring some token from them.

19 S aul and your brothers and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”

Now Saul and the brothers and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

20 S o David got up early in the morning and left the flock in the care of a shepherd. He took the food and went, as Jesse had told him. And he came to the tents as the army was going out dressed for battle, calling out the war cry.

So David rose up early next morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took the provisions, and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host going forth to the battleground shouted the battle cry.

21 I srael and the Philistines came near each other dressed for battle, army against army.

And Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against army.

22 D avid left the things with the man to take care of them. He ran to the army, and went to meet with his brothers.

David left his packages in the care of the baggage keeper and ran into the ranks and came and greeted his brothers.

23 A s he talked with them, Goliath the Philistine from Gath came out of the army of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.

As they talked, behold, Goliath, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, came forth from the Philistine ranks and spoke the same words as before, and David heard him.

24 W hen all the men of Israel saw the man, they ran away from him and were very much afraid.

And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, terrified.

25 T he men of Israel said, “Have you seen the man who has come out? He has come out to stand against Israel. The king will make the man who kills him rich. And he will give him his daughter, and make his father’s family free from paying taxes in Israel.”

And the Israelites said, Have you seen this man who has come out? Surely he has come out to defy Israel; and the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.

26 T hen David said to the men standing by him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away Israel’s shame? For who is this Philistine who has not gone through the religious act of the Jews? Who is he, that he should make fun of the armies of the living God?”

And David said to the men standing by him, What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?

27 A nd the people answered him in the same way, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”

And the told him, Thus shall it be done for the man who kills him.

28 H is oldest brother Eliab heard what he said to the men. He became very angry with David and said, “Why have you come here? With whom have you left those few sheep in the desert? I know of your pride and the sin of your heart. You have come to see the battle.”

Now Eliab his eldest brother heard what he said to the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David and he said, Why did you come here? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and evilness of heart; for you came down that you might see the battle.

29 B ut David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a question?”

And David said, What have I done now? Was it not a harmless question?

30 T hen David turned away from him to another and asked the same question. And the people gave him the same answer.

And David turned away from Eliab to another and he asked the same question, and again the men gave him the same answer.

31 W hen David’s words were heard, they were told to Saul, and Saul sent for him.

When David’s words were heard, they were repeated to Saul, and he sent for him.

32 D avid said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart become weak because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of this Philistine; your servant will go out and fight with him.

33 S aul said to David, “You are not able to go and fight against this Philistine. You are only a young man, while he has been a man of war since he was young.”

And Saul said to David, You are not able to go to fight against this Philistine. You are only an adolescent, and he has been a warrior from his youth.

34 B ut David said to Saul, “Your servant was taking care of his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock,

And David said to Saul, Your servant kept his father’s sheep. And when there came a lion or again a bear and took a lamb out of the flock,

35 I went after him and fought him and saved it from his mouth. When he came against me, I took hold of him by the hair of his head and hit him and killed him.

I went out after it and smote it and delivered the lamb out of its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard and smote it and killed it.

36 Y our servant has killed both the lion and the bear. And this Philistine who has not gone through our religious act will be like one of them. For he has made fun of the armies of the living God.”

Your servant killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God!

37 A nd David said, “The Lord Who saved me from the foot of the lion and from the foot of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

David said, The Lord Who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and the Lord be with you!

38 T hen Saul dressed David with his clothes. He put a brass head covering on his head, and dressed him with heavy battle-clothes.

Then Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail.

39 D avid put on his sword over his heavy battle-clothes and tried to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I am not used to them.” And David took them off.

And David girded his sword over his armor. Then he tried to go, but could not, for he was not used to it. And David said to Saul, I cannot go with these, for I am not used to them. And David took them off.

40 H e took his stick in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the river. He put them in his shepherd’s bag. His sling was in his hand, and he went to the Philistine.

Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in his shepherd’s bag, in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand, and he drew near the Philistine.

41 T he Philistine came near to David, with the man carrying his shield in front of him.

The Philistine came on and drew near to David, the man who bore the shield going before him.

42 W hen the Philistine looked and saw David, he thought nothing of him. For he was only a young man, with good color in his skin, and good-looking.

And when the Philistine looked around and saw David, he scorned and despised him, for he was but an adolescent, with a healthy reddish color and a fair face.

43 T he Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine spoke against David by his gods.

And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you should come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44 T he Philistine said to David, “Come to me. I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the animals of the field.”

The Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.

45 T hen David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and spears. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of All, the God of the armies of Israel, Whom you have stood against.

Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, Whom you have defied.

46 T his day the Lord will give you into my hands. I will knock you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth. Then all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will smite you and cut off your head. And I will give the corpses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 A ll these people gathered here may know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”

And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.

48 T hen the Philistine rose up and came to meet David. And David rushed to the center of the valley to meet the Philistine.

When the Philistine came forward to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.

49 D avid put his hand into his bag, took out a stone and threw it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone went into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.

David put his hand into his bag and took out a stone and slung it, and it struck the Philistine, sinking into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.

50 S o David won the fight against the Philistine with a sling and a stone. He hit the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in David’s hand.

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck down the Philistine and slew him. But no sword was in David’s hand.

51 T hen David ran and stood over the Philistine. He took his sword out of its holder and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their strong soldier was dead, they ran away.

So he ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their mighty champion was dead, they fled.

52 T he men of Israel and Judah rose up and called out and went after the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron. The dead Philistines lay on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron.

And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron. So the wounded Philistines fell along the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron.

53 T hen the Israelites returned from following the Philistines and took what had belonged to them among their tents.

The Israelites returned from their pursuit of the Philistines and plundered their tents.

54 D avid took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem. But he put his battle-clothes in his tent.

David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

55 W hen Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to Abner the head of his army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” And Abner said, “By your life, O king, I do not know.”

When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As your soul lives, O king, I cannot tell.

56 T he king said, “Find out whose son the young man is.”

And the king said, Inquire whose son the stripling is.

57 S o when David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine’s head in his hand.

When David returned from killing Goliath the Philistine, Abner brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

58 S aul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”

And Saul said to him, Whose son are you, young man? And David answered, I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.