1 Samuel 17

1 Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.

2 Saul and the men of Israel assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah, arraying themselves for battle against the Philistines.

3 The Philistines stood on one hill and the Israelites stood on another, with the valley between them.

4 Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height,

5 and he had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a bronze coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels,

6 and he had armor of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.

7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. In addition, his shield bearer went before him.

8 And Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and array yourselves for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me.

9 If he is able to fight 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 work for us.”

10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!”

11 On hearing the words of the Philistine, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and greatly afraid.

12 Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons. And in the days of Saul, Jesse was old and well along in years.

13 The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah.

14 And David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul,

15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.

17 One day Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp.

18 Take also these ten portions of cheese to the commander of their unit. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring back an assurance from them.

19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”

20 So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with a keeper, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him. He reached the camp as the army was marching out to its position and shouting the battle cry.

21 And Israel and the Philistines arrayed in formation against each other.

22 Then David left his supplies in the care of the quartermaster and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing.

23 And as he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the ranks of the Philistines and shouted his usual words, which David also heard.

24 When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear.

25 Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”

26 David asked the men who were standing with him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

27 The people told him about the offer, saying, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.”

28 Now when David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, his anger burned against David. “Why have you come down here?” he asked. “And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and wickedness of heart—you have come down to see the battle!”

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

30 Then he turned from him toward another and asked about the offer, and those people answered him just as the first ones had answered.

31 Now David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, who sent for him.

32 And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him!”

33 But Saul replied, “You cannot go out against this Philistine to fight him. You are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

34 David replied, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock,

35 I went after it, struck it down, and delivered the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it.

36 Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”

37 David added, “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” “Go,” said Saul, “and may the LORD be with you.”

38 Then Saul clothed David in his own tunic, put a bronze helmet on his head, and dressed him in armor.

39 David strapped his sword over the tunic and tried to walk, but he was not accustomed to them. “I cannot walk in these,” David said to Saul. “I am not accustomed to them.” So David took them off.

40 And David took his staff in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine.

41 Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him.

42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.

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

44 “Come here,” he called to David, “and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”

45 But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. This day I will strike you down, cut off your head, and give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the creatures of the earth. Then the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.

47 And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”

48 As the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.

49 Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

50 Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

51 David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him, and he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.

52 Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. And the bodies of the Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.

53 When the Israelites returned from their pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps.

54 David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.

55 As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “As surely as you live, O king,” Abner replied, “I do not know.”

56 “Find out whose son this young man is!” said the king.

57 So when David returned from killing the Philistine, still holding his head in his hand, Abner took him and brought him before Saul.

58 “Whose son are you, young man?” asked Saul. “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David replied.

1 ¶ Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which [belongeth] to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.

2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.

3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and [there was] a valley between them.

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

5 And [he had] an helmet of brass upon his head, and he [was] armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat [was] five thousand shekels of brass.

6 And [he had] greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

7 And the staff of his spear [was] like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head [weighed] six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.

8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set [your] battle in array? [am] not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.

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

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

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

12 ¶ Now David [was] the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name [was] Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men [for] an old man in the days of Saul.

13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went [and] followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle [were] Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

14 And David [was] the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.

15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched [corn], and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;

18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of [their] thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, [were] in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.

21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.

22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.

23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard [them].

24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, [that] the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.

26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

29 And David said, What have I now done? [Is there] not a cause?

30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

31 ¶ And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed [them] before Saul: and he sent for him.

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou [art but] a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered [it] out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught [him] by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

37 David said moreover, The LORD that 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 unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved [it]. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved [them]. And David put them off him.

40 ¶ And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling [was] in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield [went] before him.

42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was [but] a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

43 And the Philistine said unto David, [Am] I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle [is] the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.

48 ¶ And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang [it], and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but [there was] no sword in the hand of David.

51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son [is] this youth? And Abner said, [As] thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

56 And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling [is].

57 And as 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.

58 And Saul said to him, Whose son [art] thou, [thou] young man? And David answered, I [am] the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.

1 And the Philistines gathered their armies to battle, and came together to Shocho in Judah, and pitched between Shocho and Azekah, at the end of Damim.

2 And Saul and the men of Israel came together, and pitched in the valley of the oak, and prepared themselves to battle against the Philistines.

3 And the Philistines sat upon a mountain on the other side, and the children of Israel upon a mountain on this side; and there was a valley between them.

4 And there came forth out of the camps of the Philistines a giant named Goliath of Gath, six cubits high and an hand's breadth;

5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and a coat of mail upon him; and the weight of his coat was five thousand shekels of brass;

6 and had brazen harness on his thighs and a brazen shield on his shoulders.

7 And the shaft of his spear was as a weaver's beam, and the iron of his spear had six hundred shekels of iron: and his shield bearer went before him.

8 And he stood and called unto the witness of Israel, and said unto them: Why are ye come out to set yourselves at war? Am not I a Philistine, and ye servants of Saul? Call one of you to come down unto me.

9 If he be able to fight against me, and smite me, we will be your servants: but if I be able to fight against him, and smite him, ye shall be our servants, to serve us.

10 And the Philistine said: I have mocked the witness of Israel this day: give me one, and let us fight together.

11 And when Saul and all Israel heard this saying of the Philistine, they were amazed and sore afraid.

12 And David was the son of an Ephrathite man, of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons, and was an old man in the days of Saul, and was old among men.

13 And the three greatest sons of Jesse were at war with Saul, and were called by name: Eliab the firstborn, Abinadab the second, and Samma the third.

14 And David was the youngest. And the three eldest went out to war with Saul,

15 And David departed again from Saul, to keep his father's flock in Bethlehem.

16 And the Philistine came early in the morning and in the evening, and presented himself forty days.

17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take for thy brethren these ephahs of sackbread, and these ten loaves, and run into the army to thy brethren,

18 And these ten fresh cheeses, and bring them unto the centurion; and see thy brethren, if it be well with them, and take what they command thee.

19 And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of the oak, fighting against the Philistines.

20 And David arose early in the morning, and left the sheep with the keeper, and carried, and went as Jesse had commanded him, and came to the chariot-house. And the host was come forth, and armed themselves, and cried out in battle.

21 For Israel had armed themselves, and the Philistines were armed against their stuff.

22 And David left the vessel which he bare under the keeper of the vessels, and ran unto the witness; and went in, and saluted his brethren.

23 And while he yet spake unto them, behold, a giant named Goliath, the Philistine of Gath, came up out of the Philistine's stuff, and spake as before: and David heard it.

24 But every man of Israel, when he saw the man, fled from him, and was sore afraid.

25 And all the people of Israel said, Have ye seen this man come up? For he is come up to speak evil of Israel. And whosoever smiteth him, the king will make him very rich, and give him his daughter, and will make his father's house free in Israel.

26 And David said unto the men that sat with him: What shall be done to him that smiteth this Philistine, and turneth away the reproach from Israel? For who is this Philistine, this uncircumcised man, that mocketh the testimony of the living God?

27 And the people said unto him, As before, So shall it be done unto him that smiteth him.

28 And Eliab his elder brother heard him speak with the men, and was wroth with anger against David, and said, Why art thou come down? and why hast thou forsaken the few sheep that are there in the wilderness? I know thy presumption, and the wickedness of thine heart. For thou art come down to see the battle.

29 And David said, What have I done now? Is it not commanded me?

30 And he turned from him to another, and spake as he spake before. And the people answered him as before.

31 And when they heard the words that David spake, they declared them before Saul, and he sent for him.

32 And David said unto Saul, Let no man's heart fail him for this cause: let thy servant go and fight with the Philistine.

33 And Saul said unto David, Thou canst not go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art a boy, but this man is a man of war from his youth.

34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant was tending his father's flock, and there came a lion and a bear, and carried away a sheep from the fold.

35 And I ran after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth. And when he was come upon me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

36 So thy servant smote both the lion and the bear. Now therefore this Philistine, the uncircumcised, shall be as one of them, because he hath defiled the stuff of the living God.

37 And David said, The LORD that delivered me from the lion and from the bear, he shall deliver me also from this Philistine.

38 And Saul said unto David, Go thy way; the LORD be with thee. And Saul clothed David with his garments, and put a helmet of brass upon his head, and put on him a coat of mail.

39 And David girded his sword upon his garments, and began to walk, because he had never tried it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go thus, for I am not accustomed: and he put it from him.

40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, and in the sack; and he took the sling in his hand, and made himself the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine went also, and made himself David, and his shield-bearer before him.

42 And when the Philistine saw, and looked upon David, he despised him. For he was a lad, brownish and fair.

43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest unto me with staves? And he cursed David by his God.

44 And he said unto David, Come unto me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

45 And David said unto the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come unto thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the testimony of Israel, whom thou hast heard.

46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand, and I will smite thee, and take away thy head from thee, and give the carcase of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that Israel hath one God,

47 And that all this congregation may know that the LORD helpeth not with sword nor with spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will deliver you into our hand.

48 And when the Philistine arose, and came near against David, David made haste, and ran from the witness against the Philistine.

49 And David put his hand into his pocket, and took a stone out of it, and cast it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, and the stone entered into his forehead, and he fell to the earth upon his face.

50 So David overcame the Philistine with the sling, and with the stone; and smote him, and slew him. And since David had no sword in his hand,

51 And he ran, and stood by the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their strongest was dead, they fled.

52 And the men of Israel and Judah arose, and called, and pursued after the Philistines unto the valley, and unto the gates of Ekron. And the Philistines fell slain by the way of the gates unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

53 And the children of Israel returned from pursuing the Philistines, and spoiled their camp.

54 And David took the Philistine's head, and brought it to Jerusalem; and he put his weapons in his tent.

55 And when Saul saw David going out against the Philistines, he said to Abner the captain of his host, Whose son is the lad? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I know not.

56 And the king said, Ask then whose son the young man is.

57 And David returned from the battle of the Philistine, and Abner took him, and brought him before Saul: and he had the Philistine's head in his hand.

58 And Saul said unto him, Whose son art thou, boy? And David said: I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.