| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim. | 1The Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim. |
| 2Saul and the men of Israel assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah, arraying themselves for battle against the Philistines. | 2Saul and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the Valley of Elah; then they lined up in battle formation to face the Philistines. |
| 3The Philistines stood on one hill and the Israelites stood on another, with the valley between them. | 3The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites were standing on another hill with a ravine between them. |
| 4Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height, | 4Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches tall |
| 5and he had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a bronze coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels, | 5and wore a bronze helmet and bronze scale armor that weighed 125 pounds. |
| 6and he had armor of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. | 6There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze sword was slung between his shoulders. |
| 7The 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. | 7His spear shaft was like a weaver's beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed 15 pounds. In addition, a shield-bearer was walking in front of him. |
| 8And 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. | 8He stood and shouted to the Israelite battle formations: "Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?" He asked them, "Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. |
| 9If 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 labor for us.” | 9If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us." |
| 10Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!” | 10Then the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel today. Send me a man so we can fight each other!" |
| 11On hearing the words of the Philistine, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and greatly afraid. | 11When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified. |
| 12Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons in the days of Saul. And Jesse was old and well along in years. | 12Now David was the son of the Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons and during Saul's reign was already an old man. |
| 13The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. | 13Jesse's three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war, and their names were Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab, the next, and Shammah, the third, |
| 14And David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul, | 14and David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul, |
| 15but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem. | 15but David kept going back and forth from Saul to tend his father's flock in Bethlehem. |
| 16For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand. | 16Every morning and evening for 40 days the Philistine came forward and took his stand. |
| 17One 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. | 17One day Jesse had told his son David: "Take this half-bushel of roasted grain along with these 10 loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. |
| 18Take 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. | 18Also take these 10 portions of cheese to the field commander. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring a confirmation from them. |
| 19They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.” | 19They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines." |
| 20So 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. | 20So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the perimeter of the camp as the army was marching out to its battle formation shouting their battle cry. |
| 21And Israel and the Philistines arrayed in formation against each other. | 21Israel and the Philistines lined up in battle formation facing each other. |
| 22Then 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. | 22David 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. |
| 23And as he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistines and shouted his usual words, which David also heard. | 23While he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistine battle line and shouted his usual words, which David heard. |
| 24When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear. | 24When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified. |
| 25Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see this man who 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.” | 25Previously, an Israelite man had declared: "Do you see this man who keeps coming out? He comes to defy Israel. The king will make the man who kills him very rich and will give him his daughter. The king will also make the household of that man's father exempt from paying taxes in Israel." |
| 26David 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?” | 26David spoke to the men who were standing with him: "What will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" |
| 27The people told him about the offer, saying, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.” | 27The people told him about the offer, concluding, "That is what will be done for the man who kills him." |
| 28Now 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!” | 28David's oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and became angry with him. "Why did you come down here?" he asked. "Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart--you came down to see the battle!" |
| 29“What have I done now?” said David. “Was it not just a question?” | 29"What have I done now?" protested David. "It was just a question." |
| 30Then he turned from him toward another and asked about the offer, and those people answered him just as the first ones had answered. | 30Then he turned from those beside him to others in front of him and asked about the offer. The people gave him the same answer as before. |
| 31Now David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, who called for him. | 31What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, so he had David brought to him. |
| 32And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him!” | 32David said to Saul, "Don't let anyone be discouraged by him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine!" |
| 33But 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.” | 33But Saul replied, "You can't go fight this Philistine. You're just a youth, and he's been a warrior since he was young." |
| 34David 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, | 34David answered Saul: "Your servant has been tending his father's sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, |
| 35I 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. | 35I went after it, struck it down, and rescued the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. |
| 36Your 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.” | 36Your 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." |
| 37David 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.” | 37Then David said, "The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you." |
| 38Then Saul clothed David in his own tunic, put a bronze helmet on his head, and dressed him in armor. | 38Then Saul had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David's head and had him put on armor. |
| 39David 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. | 39David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. "I can't walk in these," David said to Saul, "I'm not used to them." So David took them off. |
| 40And 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. | 40Instead, he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd's bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine. |
| 41Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him. | 41The Philistine came closer and closer to David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. |
| 42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome. | 42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a youth, healthy 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. | 43He said to David, "Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?" Then he 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!” | 44"Come here," the Philistine called to David, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts!" |
| 45But 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. | 45David said to the Philistine: "You come against me with a dagger, spear, and sword, but I come against you in the name of Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel's armies--you have defied Him. |
| 46This 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 Philistines 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. | 46Today, the LORD will hand you over to me. Today, I'll strike you down, cut your head off, and give the corpses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God, |
| 47And 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.” | 47and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the LORD saves, for the battle is the LORD's. He will hand you over to us." |
| 48As the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. | 48When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine. |
| 49Then 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. | 49David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. |
| 50Thus 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. | 50David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. Even though David had no sword, he struck down the Philistine and killed him. |
| 51David 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. | 51David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine's sword, pulled it from its sheath, and used it to kill him. Then he cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran. |
| 52Then 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. | 52The men of Israel and Judah rallied, shouting their battle cry, and chased the Philistines to the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. Philistine bodies were strewn all along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. |
| 53When the Israelites returned from their pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. | 53When the Israelites returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. |
| 54David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent. | 54David took Goliath's head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath's weapons in his own tent. |
| 55As 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.” | 55 When Saul had seen David going out to confront the Philistine, he asked Abner the commander of the army, "Whose son is this youth, Abner?" "My king, as surely as you live, I don't know," Abner replied. |
| 56“Find out whose son this young man is!” said the king. | 56The king said, "Find out whose son this young man is!" |
| 57So when David returned from killing the Philistine, still holding his head in his hand, Abner took him and brought him before Saul. | 57When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine's head still in his hand. |
| 58“Whose son are you, young man?” asked Saul. “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David replied. | 58Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" "The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem," David answered. |
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