1 Samuel 17:34-58 ▼

34 And David said to Saul, “Your servant has been pasturing the sheep of his father, and the lion or the bear came and carried away a lamb out of the flock,

35 and I went out after it and struck it and snatched it up from its mouth. And it arose against me, and I caught it by its beard, and struck it down and killed it.

36 Even the lion and the bear your servant has killed, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”

37 And David said, “YHWH, who snatched me up from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and YHWH be with you.”

38 And Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him in armor.

39 And David fastened his sword above his long robe and began to go, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I am not able to walk with these, for I have not tested them.” And David turned them aside from himself.

40 And he took his staff in his hand, and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and he put them in a bag of the shepherd that was unto him, even in the pouch. And his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine came, going and drawing near to David, and the man went who bore the shield before him.

42 And the Philistine looked about and saw David and despised him, for he was a youth, and ruddy, with a fair appearance.

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

44 And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the bird of the heavens and to the beast of the field.”

45 And David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with the sword, and with the spear, and with the javelin, and I come to you in the name of YHWH of Hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom you have defied.

46 This day YHWH will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you, and I will give the carcass of the camp of the Philistines this day to the bird of the heavens and to the beast of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 And all this assembly shall know that YHWH saves not with sword and with spear, for the battle is to YHWH, and He will give to you⁺ into our hands.”

48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran to the rank to meet the Philistine.

49 And David put his hand in the vessel and took out a stone, and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, and the stone sank into his forehead. And he fell on his face to the ground.

50 And David prevailed over the Philistine with the sling and with the stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him. And no sword was in the hand of David.

51 And David ran and stood over the Philistine, and he took his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and he killed him and cut off with it his head. And the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and they fled.

52 And the men of Israel and Judah arose, and they shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, and to Gath, and to Ekron.

53 And the sons of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camps.

54 And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem. And he put his weapons in his tent.

55 And Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, and he said to Abner the commander of the army, “The son of whom is this youth, Abner?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, if I know.”

56 And the king said, “Inquire you, the son of whom this is—the young man.”

57 And David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, and Abner took him and brought him before the face of Saul, and the head of the Philistine was in his hand.

58 And Saul said to him, “The son of whom are you, O young man?” And David answered, “The son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”