1 Samuel 17:1-39 ▼

1 Now the Philistines (immigrants) gathered their forces for war at Socoh (bushy) in Judah (praised), and they camped between Socoh and Azekah (dug over) in Ephes-dammim (edge of blood).

2 Saul (desired) and the men of Israel (he wrestles with God) assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah (An oak), arraying themselves for battle against the Philistines (immigrants).

3 The Philistines (immigrants) stood on one hill and the Israelites (God prevails) stood on another, with the valley between them.

4 Then a champion named Goliath (splendor), who was from Gath (winepress), came out from the Philistine (immigrants) camp. He was six cubits and a span in height <6 ft 9 in / 206 cm>,

5 and he had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a bronze coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels <125.6 lb / 57 kg>,

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 <15.1 lb / 6.8 kg>. In addition, his shield bearer went before him.

8 And Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel (he wrestles with God), “Why do you⁺ come out and array yourselves for battle? Am I not a Philistine (immigrants), and are you⁺ not servants of Saul (desired)? 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 (immigrants) said, “I defy the ranks of Israel (he wrestles with God) this day! Give me a man to fight!”

11 On hearing the words of the Philistine (immigrants), Saul (desired) and all the Israelites (God prevails) were dismayed and greatly afraid.

12 Now David (beloved) was the son of a man named Jesse (I possess), an Ephrathite (fruitfulness) from Bethlehem (house of bread) of Judah (praised) who had eight sons. And in the days of Saul (desired), Jesse was old and well along in years [he had become advanced among men].

13 The three older sons of Jesse (I possess) had followed Saul (desired) into battle: The firstborn was Eliab (God is father), the second was Abinadab (my father is willing), and the third was Shammah (astonishment).

14 And David (beloved) was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul (desired),

15 but David (beloved) went back and forth from Saul (desired) to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem (house of bread).

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

17 One day Jesse (I possess) said to his son David (beloved), “Take this ephah of roasted grain <20 qt / 22 l> 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 (some token from them).

19 They are with Saul (desired) and all the men of Israel (he wrestles with God) in the Valley of Elah (An oak), fighting against the Philistines (immigrants).”

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

21 And Israel (he wrestles with God) and the Philistines (immigrants) arrayed in formation against each other.

22 Then David (beloved) 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 (splendor), the Philistine (immigrants) from Gath (winepress), came forward from the ranks of the Philistines and shouted his usual words, which David (beloved) also heard.

24 When all the men of Israel (he wrestles with God) saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear.

25 Now the men of Israel (he wrestles with God) 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 (beloved) asked the men who were standing with him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine (immigrants) and removes this disgrace from Israel (he wrestles with God)? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God {Elohim}?”

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 (God is father) heard him speaking to the men, his anger burned against David (beloved). “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 (beloved). “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 (beloved) words were overheard and reported to Saul (desired), who sent for him.

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

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

34 David (beloved) replied (desired), “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 (immigrants) will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God {Elohim}.”

37 David (beloved) added, “The LORD {YHWH}, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine (immigrants).” “Go,” said Saul (desired), “and may the LORD be with you.”

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

39 David (beloved) 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 (desired). “I am not accustomed to them.” So David took them off.