1 Samuel 17:1-39 ▼

1 The Philistines rallied their forces for battle at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh and Azekah at Ephes-dammim.

2 Saul and the Israelites rallied and camped in the valley of the Elah, drawing up their battle line to meet the Philistines.

3 The Philistines were stationed on one hill and the Israelites on an opposite hill, with a valley between them.

4 A champion named Goliath of Gath came out from the Philistine camp; he was six cubits and a span tall.

5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a bronze breastplate of scale armor weighing five thousand shekels,

6 bronze greaves, and had a bronze scimitar slung from his shoulders.

7 The shaft of his javelin was like a weaver’s beam, and its iron head weighed six hundred shekels. His shield-bearer went ahead of him.

8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel: “Why come out in battle formation? I am a Philistine, and you are Saul’s servants. Choose one of your men, and have him come down to me.

9 If he beats me in combat and kills me, we will be your vassals; but if I beat him and kill him, you shall be our vassals and serve us.”

10 The Philistine continued: “I defy the ranks of Israel today. Give me a man and let us fight together.”

11 When Saul and all Israel heard this challenge of the Philistine, they were stunned and terrified.

12 David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem in Judah who had eight sons. In the days of Saul Jesse was old and well on in years.

13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to war; the names of these three sons who had gone off to war were Eliab the firstborn; Abinadab the second; and Shammah the third.

14 David was the youngest. While the three oldest had joined Saul,

15 David would come and go from Saul’s presence to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

16 Meanwhile the Philistine came forward and took his stand morning and evening for forty days.

17 Now Jesse said to his son David: “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves for your brothers, and bring them quickly to your brothers in the camp.

18 Also take these ten cheeses for the field officer. Greet your brothers and bring home some token from them.

19 Saul and your brothers, together with all Israel, are at war with the Philistines in the valley of the Elah.”

20 Early the next morning, having left the flock with a shepherd, David packed up and set out, as Jesse had commanded him. He reached the barricade of the camp just as the army, on their way to the battleground, were shouting their battle cry.

21 The Israelites and the Philistines drew up opposite each other in battle array.

22 David entrusted what he had brought to the keeper of the baggage and hastened to the battle line, where he greeted his brothers.

23 While he was talking with them, the Philistine champion, by name Goliath of Gath, came up from the ranks of the Philistines and spoke as before, and David listened.

24 When the Israelites saw the man, they all retreated before him, terrified.

25 The Israelites had been saying: “Do you see this man coming up? He comes up to insult Israel. The king will make whoever kills him a very wealthy man. He will give his daughter to him and declare his father’s family exempt from taxes in Israel.”

26 David now said to the men standing near him: “How will the man who kills this Philistine and frees Israel from disgrace be rewarded? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should insult the armies of the living God?”

27 They repeated the same words to him and said, “That is how the man who kills him will be rewarded.”

28 When Eliab, his oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he grew angry with David and said: “Why did you come down? With whom have you left those sheep in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and dishonest heart. You came down to enjoy the battle!”

29 David protested, “What have I done now? I was only talking.”

30 He turned from him to another and asked the same question; and everyone gave him the same answer as before.

31 The words that David had spoken were overheard and reported to Saul, who sent for him.

32 Then David spoke to Saul: “My lord should not lose heart. Let your servant go and fight this Philistine.”

33 But Saul answered David, “You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him, for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”

34 Then David told Saul: “Your servant used to tend his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or bear came to carry off a sheep from the flock,

35 I would chase after it, attack it, and snatch the prey from its mouth. If it attacked me, I would seize it by the throat, strike it, and kill it.

36 Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be as one of them, because he has insulted the armies of the living God.”

37 David continued: “The same LORD who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul answered David, “Go! the LORD will be with you.”

38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic, putting a bronze helmet on his head and arming him with a coat of mail.

39 David also fastened Saul’s sword over the tunic. He walked with difficulty, however, since he had never worn armor before. He said to Saul, “I cannot go in these, because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.