1 N ow the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.

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 encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array 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 the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a 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 A champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span went out.

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 helmet of brass on his head, and he wore a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

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 had brass shin armor on his legs, and a brass javelin between his shoulders.

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

7 T he staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer went before him.

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 H e stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and you servants to 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 will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve 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 T he Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel today! 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 those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly 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 that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons. The man was an elderly old man in the days of Saul.

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 T he three oldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the 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; and the three oldest followed Saul.

David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul,

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

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

16 T he Philistine came near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

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

17 J esse said to David his son, “Now take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers;

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 bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers are doing, and bring back news.”

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

19 N ow Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were 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 D avid rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took and went, as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the place of the wagons, as the army which was going out to the fight shouted for the battle.

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 put the battle in array, army against army.

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

22 D avid left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and came and greeted 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, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and said the same words; and David heard them.

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 A ll the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were terrified.

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 this man who has come up? He has surely come up to defy Israel. The king will give great riches to the man who kills him, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free 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 D avid spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done to 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?”

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 T he people answered him in this way, saying, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”

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

28 E liab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart; for you have come down that you might 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 D avid said, “What have I now done? Is there not a cause?”

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

30 H e turned away from him toward another, and spoke like that again; and the people answered him again the same way.

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 the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he 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 fail 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 against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

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 D avid said to Saul, “Your servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and when a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb out of 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 out after him, and struck him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck 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 struck both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, since he has defied 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 D avid said, “Yahweh 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.” Saul said to David, “Go! Yahweh will 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 S aul dressed David with his clothing. He put a helmet of brass on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.

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 strapped his sword on his clothing, and he tried to move; for he had not tested it. David said to Saul, “I can’t go with these; for I have not tested them.” Then 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 staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag which he had. His sling was in his hand; and he came near 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 walked and came near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before 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 around, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and had a good looking face.

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?” The Philistine cursed 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, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and to 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, with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

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 oday, Yahweh will deliver you into my hand. I will strike you, and take your head from off you. I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines today to the birds of the sky, and to the wild animals of the earth; that 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 nd that all this assembly may know that Yahweh doesn’t save with sword and spear; for the battle is Yahweh’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

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 W hen the Philistine arose, and walked and came near to meet David, David hurried, and ran toward the army 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 in his bag, took a stone, and slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.

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 prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

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

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 of Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as Gai and to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and to 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 he children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines and they plundered their camp.

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

54 D avid took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor 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 go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I can’t tell.”

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, “Inquire whose son the young man is!”

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

57 A s David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine 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, you young man?” David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

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