1 Samuel 17 Parallel Bible Translations

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1 The Philistines assembled their armies for war. They assembled at Socoh, which is in Judah, and camped between Socoh and Azekah at Ephes Dammim. Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah.
2 So Saul and the army of Israel assembled and camped in the Elah Valley. They formed a battle line to fight the Philistines. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.
3 The Philistines were stationed on a hill on one side, and the Israelites were stationed on a hill on the other side. There was a ravine between the two of them. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
4 The Philistine army's champion came out of their camp. His name was Goliath from Gath. He was ten feet tall. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.
5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore a bronze coat of armor scales weighing 125 pounds. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels;
6 On his legs he had bronze shin guards and on his back a bronze javelin. And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.
7 The shaft of his spear was like the beam used by weavers. The head of his spear was made of 15 pounds of iron. The man who carried his shield walked ahead of him. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
8 Goliath stood and called to the Israelites, |Why do you form a battle line? Am I not a Philistine, and aren't you Saul's servants? Choose a man, and let him come down to [fight] me. He 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. Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.
9 If he can fight me and kill me, then we will be your slaves. But if I overpower him and kill him, then you will be our slaves 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.” If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.”
10 The Philistine added, |I challenge the Israelite battle line today. Send out a man so that we can fight each other.| And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.”
11 When Saul and all the Israelites heard what this Philistine said, they were gripped with fear. When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
12 David was a son of a man named Jesse from the region of Ephrath and the city of Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul's day he was an old man. Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years. Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old.
13 Jesse's three oldest sons joined Saul's army for the battle. The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, the third was Shammah, The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed 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 oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah.
14 and David was the youngest. The three oldest joined Saul's army. David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul, David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul,
15 David went back and forth from Saul's camp to Bethlehem, where he tended his father's flock. but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
16 Each morning and evening for 40 days, the Philistine came forward and made his challenge. For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening. For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.
17 Jesse told his son David, |Take this half-bushel of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread to your brothers. Take them to your brothers in the camp right away. 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 the camp to your brothers. Now 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 And take these ten cheeses to the captain of the regiment. See how your brothers are doing, and bring back some news about them. Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them.” Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them.
19 They, along with Saul and all the soldiers of Israel, are in the Elah Valley fighting the Philistines.| Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”
20 David got up early in the morning and had someone else watch [the sheep]. He took [the food] and went, as Jesse ordered him. He went to the camp as the army was going out to the battle line shouting their war cry. And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry. Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry.
21 Israel and the Philistines formed their battle lines facing each other. And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other.
22 David left the supplies behind in the hands of the quartermaster, ran to the battle line, and greeted his brothers. And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers. David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were.
23 While he was talking to them, the Philistine champion, Goliath from Gath, came from the battle lines of the Philistines. He repeated his words, and David heard them. As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him. As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it.
24 When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him because they were terrified. All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.
25 The men of Israel said, |Did you see that man coming [from the Philistine lines]? He keeps coming to challenge Israel. The king will make the man who kills this Philistine very rich. He will give his daughter to that man to marry and elevate the social status of his family.| And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.”
26 David asked the men who were standing near him, |What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and gets rid of Israel's disgrace? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should challenge the army of the living God?| And David said to the men who stood 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?” David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
27 The soldiers repeated [to David] how the man who kills Goliath would be treated. And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.” They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”
28 Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard David talking to the men. Then Eliab became angry with David. |Why did you come here,| he asked him, |and with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how overconfident and headstrong you are. You came here just to see the battle.| Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”
29 |What have I done now?| David snapped at him. |Didn't I [merely] ask a question?| And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?”
30 He turned to face another man and asked the same question, and the other soldiers gave him the same answer. And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before. He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before.
31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, who then sent for him. When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.
32 David told Saul, |No one should be discouraged because of this. I will go and fight this Philistine.| And David 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 one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”
33 Saul responded to David, |You can't fight this Philistine. You're just a boy, but he's been a warrior since he was your age.| And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
34 David replied to Saul, |I am a shepherd for my father's sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,
35 I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth. If it attacked me, I took hold of its mane, struck it, and killed it. I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.
36 I have killed lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them because he has challenged the army of the living God.| Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.
37 David added, |The LORD, who saved me from the lion and the bear, will save me from this Philistine.| |Go,| Saul told David, |and may the LORD be with you.| And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!” 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 the LORD be with you.”
38 Saul put his battle tunic on David; he put a bronze helmet on David's head and dressed him in armor. Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.
39 David fastened Saul's sword over his clothes and tried to walk, but he had never practiced doing this. |I can't walk in these things,| David told Saul. |I've never had any practice doing this.| So David took all those things off. and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.
40 He took his stick with him, picked out five smooth stones from the riverbed, and put them in his shepherd's bag. With a sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine. Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
41 The Philistine, preceded by the man carrying his shield, was coming closer and closer to David. And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David.
42 When the Philistine got a good look at David, he despised him. After all, David was a young man with a healthy complexion and good looks. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him.
43 The Philistine asked David, |Am I a dog that you come to [attack] me with sticks?| So the Philistine called on his gods to curse David. And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44 |Come on,| the Philistine told David, |and I'll give your body to the birds.| The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”
45 David told the Philistine, |You come to me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Armies, the God of the army of Israel, whom you have insulted. Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 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 Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
46 Today the LORD will hand you over to me. I will strike you down and cut off your head. And this day I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals. The whole world will know that Israel has a God. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts 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 hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.
47 Then everyone gathered here will know that the LORD can save without sword or spear, because the LORD determines every battle's outcome. He will hand all of you over to us.| and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.” All those gathered 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 When the Philistine moved closer in order to attack, David quickly ran toward the opposing battle line to attack the Philistine. When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.
49 Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, hurled it from his sling, and struck the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank into Goliath's forehead, and he fell to the ground on his face. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50 So using [only] a sling and a stone, David proved to be stronger than the Philistine. David struck down and killed the Philistine, even though David didn't have a sword in his hand. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. So David triumphed 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 the Philistine. He took Goliath's sword, pulled it out of its sheath, and made certain the Philistine was dead by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw their hero had been killed, they fled. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and 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 champion was dead, they fled. David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.
52 Then the soldiers of Israel and Judah rose up, shouted a battle cry, and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Wounded Philistines lay on the road to Shaaraim and all the way to Gath and 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 that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.
53 When the Israelites came back from their pursuit of the Philistines, they looted all the goods in the Philistine camp. And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp.
54 David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's armor in his tent. And David 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; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.
55 As Saul watched David going out against the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of the army, |Abner, whose son is this young man?| Abner answered, |I solemnly swear, as you live, Your Majesty, I don't know.| As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is that young man?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.”
56 The king said, |Find out whose son this young man is.| And the king said, “Inquire whose son the boy is.” The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.”
57 When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner brought him to Saul. David had the Philistine's head in his hand. And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head.
58 Saul asked him, |Whose son are you, young man?| |The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,| David answered. And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.” “Whose son are you, young man?” Saul asked him. David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”
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