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. They were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah. They set up their tents 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 gathered together, and set up their tents in the valley of Elah. They came up dressed for battle to fight 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.

The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the 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.

Then 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.

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.

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

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

He wore brass leg-coverings, and had a brass spear on 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.

The 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.

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 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.

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 fight him and kill him, then you must become our servants and work for us.”

10 T he Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel today! Give me a man, that we may fight together!”

Again the Philistine said, “I stand against the army 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 these words of the Philistine, they were troubled and very 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.

Now 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.

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.

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

14 D avid was the youngest; and the three oldest followed Saul.

David was the youngest. The three oldest sons followed Saul.

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

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

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

The Philistine came out and showed himself morning and evening 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;

Then 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.

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

And 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.

19 N ow Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

Saul and your brothers and all the men of Israel are 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 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.

21 I srael and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against army.

Israel and the Philistines came near each other dressed for battle, 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 the things with the man to take care of them. He ran to the army, and went to meet with 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 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.

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

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

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.”

The 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.”

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?”

Then 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?”

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

And the people answered him in the same way, “This is what will 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.”

His 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.”

29 D avid said, “What have I now done? Is there not a cause?”

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

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

Then David turned away from him to another and asked the same question. And the people 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 told to Saul, and Saul 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 become weak because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

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.”

Saul 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.”

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,

But 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,

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 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.

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 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.”

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.”

And 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.”

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

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.

David 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.

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.

He 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.

41 T he Philistine walked and came near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him.

The Philistine came near to David, with the man carrying his shield in front of 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.

When 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.

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.

The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine spoke against 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. I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the animals 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 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.

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 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.

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.”

All 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.”

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.

Then the Philistine rose up and came to meet David. And David rushed to the center of the valley 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, 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.

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 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.

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.

Then 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.

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.

The 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.

53 T he children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines and they plundered their camp.

Then the Israelites returned from following the Philistines and took what had belonged to them among 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 Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem. But he put his battle-clothes 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 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.”

56 T he king said, “Inquire whose son the young man is!”

The king said, “Find out whose son the young man 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.

So when David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine’s head 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.”

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