1 Nowe the Philistims gathered their armies to battell, and came together to Shochoh, which is in Iudah, and pitched betweene Shochoh and Azekah, in the coast of Dammim. 2 And Saul, and the men of Israel assembled, and pitched in the valley of Elah, and put themselues in battell araie to meete the Philistims. 3 And the Philistims stoode on a mountaine on the one side, and Israel stoode on a mountaine on the other side: so a valley was betweene them. 4 Then came a man betweene them both out of the tents of the Philistims, named Goliath of Gath: his height was sixe cubites and an hande breadth, 5 Aud had an helmet of brasse vpon his head, and a brigandine vpon him: and the weight of his brigandine was fiue thousand shekels of brasse. 6 And he had bootes of brasse vpon his legs, and a shield of brasse vpon his shoulders. 7 And the shaft of his speare was like a weauers beame: and his speare head weyed sixe hundreth shekels of yron: and one bearing a shielde went before him. 8 And he stoode, and cried against the hoste of Israel, and saide vnto them, Why are yee come to set your battell in aray? am not I a Philistim, and you seruaunts to Saul? chuse you a man for you, and let him come downe to me. 9 If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, then wil we be your seruants: but if I ouercome him, and kill him, then shall yee be our seruants, and serue vs. 10 Also the Philistim saide, I defie the hoste of Israel this day: giue mee a man, that we may fight together. 11 When Saul and all Israel heard those wordes of the Philistim, they were discouraged, and greatly afraide. 12 Nowe this Dauid was the sonne of an Ephrathite of Beth-lehem Iudah, named Ishai, which had eight sonnes: and this man was taken for an olde man in the daies of Saul. 13 And the three eldest sonnes of Ishai went and followed Saul to the battel: and the names of his three sonnes that went to battell, were Eliab the Eldest, and the next Abinadab, and the thirde Shammah. 14 So Dauid was the least: and the three eldest went after Saul. 15 Dauid also went, but hee returned from Saul to feede his fathers sheepe in Beth-lehem. 16 And the Philistim drew neere in the morning, and euening, and continued fourtie daies. 17 And Ishai said vnto Dauid his sone, Take nowe for thy brethren an Ephah of this parched corne, and these ten cakes, and runne to the hoste to thy brethren. 18 Also carie these ten fresh cheeses vnto the captaine, and looke howe thy brethren fare, and receiue their pledge. 19 (Then Saul and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistims) 20 So Dauid rose vp earely in the morning, and left the sheepe with a keeper, and tooke and went as Ishai had commanded him, and came within the compasse of the hoste: and the hoste went out in araie, and shouted in the battell. 21 For Israel and the Philistims had put themselues in araie, armie against armie. 22 And Dauid left the things, which hee bare, vnder the handes of the keeper of the cariage, and ranne into the hoste, and came, and asked his brethren howe they did. 23 And as hee talked with them, beholde, the man that was betweene the two armies, came vp, (whose name was Goliath ye Philistim of Gath) out of the armie of the Philistims, and spake such woordes, and Dauid heard them. 24 And all the men of Israel, when they sawe the man, ranne away from him, and were sore afraied. 25 For euery man of Israel saide, Sawe yee not this man that commeth vp? euen to reuile Israel is he come vp: and to him that killeth him, wil the king giue great riches, and will giue him his daughter, yea, and make his fathers house free in Israel. 26 Then Dauid spake to the men that stoode with him, and sayde, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistim, and taketh away the shame from Israel? for who is this vncircumcised Philistim, that he shoulde reuile the hoste of the liuing God? 27 And the people answered him after this maner, saying, Thus shall it be done to the man that killeth him. 28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake vnto the men, and Eliab was verie angrie with Dauid, and sayde, Why camest thou downe hither? and with whome hast thou left those fewe sheepe in the wildernesse? I knowe thy pride and the malice of thine heart, that thou art come downe to see the battell. 29 Then Dauid sayde, What haue I nowe done? Is there not a cause? 30 And hee departed from him into the presence of another, and spake of the same maner, and the people answered him according to the former woordes. 31 And they that heard the wordes which Dauid spake, rehearsed them before Saul, which caused him to be brought. 32 So Dauid saide to Saul, Let no mans heart faile him, because of him: thy seruant wil goe, and fight with this Philistim. 33 And Saul sayde to Dauid, Thou art not able to goe against this Philistim to fight with him: for thou art a boye, and he is a man of warre from his youth. 34 And Dauid answered vnto Saul, Thy seruant kept his fathers sheepe, and there came a lyon, and likewise a beare, and tooke a sheepe out of the flocke, 35 And I went out after him and smote him, and tooke it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by the beard, and smote him, and slue him. 36 So thy seruaunt slue both the lyon, and the beare: therefore this vncircumcised Philistim shall be as one of them, seeing hee hath railed on the hoste of the liuing God. 37 Moreouer Dauid sayd, The Lord that deliuered me out of the pawe of the lyon, and out of the paw of the beare, he wil deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistim. Then Saul sayd vnto Dauid, Go, and the Lord be with thee. 38 And Saul put his rayment vpon Dauid, and put an helmet of brasse vpon his head, and put a brigandine vpon him. 39 Then girded Dauid his sword vpon his rayment, and began to go: for he neuer proued it: and Dauid sayde vnto Saul, I can not goe with these: for I am not accustomed. wherefore Dauid put them off him. 40 Then tooke he his staffe in his hand, and chose him fiue smoothe stones out of a brooke, and put them in his shepheards bagge or skrippe, and his sling was in his hand, and he drewe neere to the Philistim. 41 And the Philistim came and drew neere vnto Dauid, and the man that bare the shielde went before him. 42 Now when the Philistim looked about and saw Dauid, he disdeined him: for he was but yong, ruddie, and of a comely face. 43 And the Philistim sayde vnto Dauid, Am I a dog, that thou commest to me with staues? And the Philistim cursed Dauid by his gods. 44 And the Philistim sayd to Dauid, Come to me, and I will giue thy flesh vnto the foules of the heauen, and to the beastes of the field. 45 Then sayd Dauid to the Philistim, Thou commest to me with a sword, and with a speare, and with a shield, but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of hostes, the God of the hoste of Israel, whom thou hast rayled vpon. 46 This day shall the Lord close thee in mine hand, and I shall smite thee, and take thine head from thee, and I wil giue the carkeises of the hoste of the Philistims this daye vnto the foules of the heauen, and to the beasts of the earth, that all the world may know that Israel hath a God, 47 And that all this assembly may know, that the Lord saueth not with sworde nor with speare (for the battel is the Lords) and he will giue you into our handes. 48 And when the Philistim arose to come and drawe neere vnto Dauid, Dauid hasted and ran to fight against the Philistim. 49 And Dauid put his hande in his bagge, and tooke out a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistim in his forehead, that the stone sticked in his forehead, and he fell groueling to the earth. 50 So Dauid ouercame the Philistim with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistim, and slew him, when Dauid had no sword in his hand. 51 Then Dauid ranne, and stood vpon the Philistim, and tooke his sword and drew it out of his sheath, and slewe him, and cut off his head therewith. So whe the Philistims saw, that their champion was dead, they fled. 52 And the men of Israel and Iudah arose, and shouted, and followed after the Philistims, vntill they came to the valley, and vnto the gates of Ekron: and the Philistims fell downe wounded by the way of Shaaraim, euen to Gath and to Ekron. 53 And the children of Israel returned from pursuing the Philistims, and spoyled their tents. 54 And Dauid tooke the head of ye Philistim, and brought it to Ierusalem, and put his armour in his tent. 55 When Saul sawe Dauid go forth against the Philistim, he sayd vnto Abner the captaine of his hoste, Abner, whose sonne is this yong man? and Abner answered, As thy soule liueth, O King, I can not tell. 56 Then the King sayde, Enquire thou whose sonne this yong man is. 57 And when Dauid was returned from the slaughter of the Philistim, then Abner tooke him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistim in his hand. 58 And Saul sayde to him, Whose sonne art thou, thou yong man? And Dauid answered, I am the sonne of thy seruant Ishai the Bethlehemite.
Goliath Challenges the Israelites
1 The Philistines gathered for battle in Socoh, a town in Judah; they camped at a place called Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in Elah Valley, where they got ready to fight the Philistines. 3 The Philistines lined up on one hill and the Israelites on another, with a valley between them.
4 A man named Goliath, from the city of Gath, came out from the Philistine camp to challenge the Israelites. He was over nine feet tall 5 and wore bronze armor that weighed about 125 pounds and a bronze helmet. 6 His legs were also protected by bronze armor, and he carried a bronze javelin slung over his shoulder. 7 His spear was as thick as the bar on a weaver's loom, and its iron head weighed about fifteen pounds. A soldier walked in front of him carrying his shield. 8 Goliath stood and shouted at the Israelites, “What are you doing there, lined up for battle? I am a Philistine, you slaves of Saul! Choose one of your men to fight me. 9 If he wins and kills me, we will be your slaves; but if I win and kill him, you will be our slaves. 10 Here and now I challenge the Israelite army. I dare you to pick someone to fight me!” 11 When Saul and his men heard this, they were terrified.
David in Saul's Camp
12 David was the son of Jesse, who was an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and at the time Saul was king, he was already a very old man. 13 His three oldest sons had gone with Saul to war. The oldest was Eliab, the next was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. 14 David was the youngest son, and while the three oldest brothers stayed with Saul, 15 David would go back to Bethlehem from time to time, to take care of his father's sheep.
16 Goliath challenged the Israelites every morning and evening for forty days.
17 One day Jesse said to David, “Take a half-bushel of this roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and hurry with them to your brothers in the camp. 18 And take these ten cheeses to the commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are getting along and bring back something to show that you saw them and that they are well. 19 King Saul, your brothers, and all the other Israelites are in Elah Valley fighting the Philistines.”
20 David got up early the next morning, left someone else in charge of the sheep, took the food, and went as Jesse had told him to. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelites were going out to their battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 The Philistine and the Israelite armies took positions for battle, facing each other. 22 David left the food with the officer in charge of the supplies, ran to the battle line, went to his brothers, and asked how they were getting along. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath came forward and challenged the Israelites as he had done before. And David heard him. 24 When the Israelites saw Goliath, they ran away in terror. 25 “Look at him!” they said to each other. “Listen to his challenge! King Saul has promised to give a big reward to the man who kills him; the king will also give him his daughter to marry and will not require his father's family to pay taxes.”
26 David asked the men who were near him, “What will the man get who kills this Philistine and frees Israel from this disgrace? After all, who is this heathen Philistine to defy the army of the living God?” 27 They told him what would be done for the man who killed Goliath.
28 Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard David talking to the men. He became angry with David and said, “What are you doing here? Who is taking care of those sheep of yours out there in the wilderness? You smart aleck, you! You just came to watch the fighting!”
29 “Now what have I done?” David asked. “Can't I even ask a question?” 30 He turned to another man and asked him the same question, and every time he asked, he got the same answer.
31 Some men heard what David had said, and they told Saul, who sent for him. 32 David said to Saul, “Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine! I will go and fight him.”
33 “No,” answered Saul. “How could you fight him? You're just a boy, and he has been a soldier all his life!”
34 “Your Majesty,” David said, “I take care of my father's sheep. Any time a lion or a bear carries off a lamb, 35 I go after it, attack it, and rescue the lamb. And if the lion or bear turns on me, I grab it by the throat and beat it to death. 36 I have killed lions and bears, and I will do the same to this heathen Philistine, who has defied the army of the living God. 37 The Lord has saved me from lions and bears; he will save me from this Philistine.”
“All right,” Saul answered. “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 38 He gave his own armor to David for him to wear: a bronze helmet, which he put on David's head, and a coat of armor. 39 David strapped Saul's sword over the armor and tried to walk, but he couldn't, because he wasn't used to wearing them. “I can't fight with all this,” he said to Saul. “I'm not used to it.” So he took it all off. 40 He took his shepherd's stick and then picked up five smooth stones from the stream and put them in his bag. With his sling ready, he went out to meet Goliath.
David Defeats Goliath
41 The Philistine started walking toward David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. He kept coming closer, 42 and when he got a good look at David, he was filled with scorn for him because he was just a nice, good-looking boy. 43 He said to David, “What's that stick for? Do you think I'm a dog?” And he called down curses from his god on David. 44 “Come on,” he challenged David, “and I will give your body to the birds and animals to eat.”
45 David answered, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Israelite armies, which you have defied. 46 This very day the Lord will put you in my power; I will defeat you and cut off your head. And I will give the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds and animals to eat. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a God, 47 and everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people. He is victorious in battle, and he will put all of you in our power.”
48 Goliath started walking toward David again, and David ran quickly toward the Philistine battle line to fight him. 49 He reached into his bag and took out a stone, which he slung at Goliath. It hit him on the forehead and broke his skull, and Goliath fell face downward on the ground. 50 And so, without a sword, David defeated and killed Goliath with a sling and a stone! 51 He ran to him, stood over him, took Goliath's sword out of its sheath, and cut off his head and killed him.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran away. 52 The men of Israel and Judah shouted and ran after them, pursuing them all the way to Gath and to the gates of Ekron. The Philistines fell wounded all along the road that leads to Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites came back from pursuing the Philistines, they looted their camp. 54 David got Goliath's head and took it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's weapons in his own tent.
David Is Presented to Saul
55 When Saul saw David going out to fight Goliath, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is he?”
“I have no idea, Your Majesty,” Abner answered.
56 “Then go and find out,” Saul ordered.
57 So when David returned to camp after killing Goliath, Abner took him to Saul. David was still carrying Goliath's head. 58 Saul asked him, “Young man, whose son are you?”
“I am the son of your servant Jesse from Bethlehem,” David answered.