1 Samuel 17
1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.
Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. They were gathered at Sokoh, which belongs to Judah. They had encamped between Sokoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.
2 Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and camped in the Valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
Saul and the men of Israel gathered and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.
3 The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side with a valley between them.
4 There went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six feet eight inches.
A strong man came out of the Philistines' camp, a man named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
5 And he had a helmet on his head, and wore bronze scale-armor. And the weight of the bronze armor was five thousand shekels.
He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of chainmail. The coat weighed five thousand shekels of bronze.
6 And he had bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders.
He had bronze armor on his legs and a javelin of bronze between his shoulders.
7 Now the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and its blade weighed six hundred iron shekels, and his shield bearer went in front of him.
The staff of his spear was large, with a loop of cord for throwing it like the cord on a weaver's beam. His spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer went before him.
8 He stood and shouted to the armies of Israel, and said to them, "Why have you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.
He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am not I a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.
9 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 will be our servants, and serve us."
If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be your servants. But if I defeat him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.”
10 The Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together."
Again the Philistine said, “I challenge the ranks of Israel today. Give me a man so we may fight together.”
11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
When Saul and all Israel heard what the Philistine said, they were discouraged and greatly afraid.
12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons. And in the days of Saul the man was old and advanced in years.
Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse. He had eight sons. Jesse was an old man in the days of Saul, very old among men.
13 The three eldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle. And the names of his sons who went to the battle were Eliab, the firstborn, and Abinadab, the second, and Shimeah, the third.
The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
14 David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul.
David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul.
15 Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
Now David went back and forth between Saul's army and his father's sheep at Bethlehem, in order to feed them.
16 The Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
For forty days the Philistine strong man came near morning and evening to present himself for battle.
17 Then Jesse said to David, "Now take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp and give them to your brothers;
Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take to your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp for your brothers.
18 and bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers are doing, and bring back news."
Also bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand. See how your brothers are doing and bring back some proof that they are doing well.
19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
Your brothers are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting the Philistines.”
20 So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the perimeter of the camp as the army was marching out to its battle formation and shouting the war cry.
David got up early in the morning and left the flock in the care of a shepherd. He took the supplies and left, as Jesse commanded him. He came to the camp as the army was going out to the battlefield shouting the war cry.
21 And Israel and the Philistines lined up in battle formation, army against army.
Then Israel and the Philistines lined up for battle, army against army.
22 And David left his supplies in the care of the attendant, and ran to the army and came and greeted his brothers.
David left his belongings with the keeper of supplies, ran to the army, and greeted his brothers.
23 As he talked with them, look, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke according to the same words: and David heard them.
As he talked with them, the strong man, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, and he came out of the ranks of the Philistines, and said the same words as before, and David heard them.
24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were terrified.
When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were very afraid.
25 The men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? He has surely come up to defy Israel. It shall be, that the man who kills him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house exempt in Israel."
The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? He has come to challenge Israel. The king will give great riches to the man who kills him, and he will give his daughter to him in marriage, and will make his father's house free from taxation in Israel.”
26 David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away this disgrace from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"
David said to the men who stood by him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
27 The people answered him in this way, saying, "So shall it be done to the man who kills him."
Then the people repeated what they had been saying and told him, “So it will be done for the man who kills him.”
28 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? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down that you might see the battle."
Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the mischief in your heart; for you have come down here so that you might see the battle.”
29 David said, "What have I now done? Is there not a cause?"
David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a question?”
30 Then he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and they gave him an answer as before.
He turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way. The people answered the same thing as before.
31 When the words that David spoke were overheard, they repeated them before Saul; and he sent for him.
When the words that David said were heard, soldiers repeated them to Saul, and he sent for David.
32 David said to Saul, "Let not my lord's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
Then David said to Saul, “Let no man's heart fail because of that Philistine; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
33 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 a man of war from his youth."
Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are only a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”
34 David said to Saul, "Your servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb out of the flock,
But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,
35 I went out after him, and struck him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and killed him.
I chased after him and attacked him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he rose up against me, I caught him by his beard, struck him, and killed him.
36 Your servant struck both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them. Should I not go and smite him, and remove this day a disgrace from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised one, since he has defied the armies of the living God?
Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has challenged the armies of the living God.”
37 The LORD who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go; and the LORD shall be with you."
David said, “Yahweh rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear. He will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Then Saul said to David, “Go, and may Yahweh be with you.”
38 And he dressed David in a uniform with a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with a coat of armor.
Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze upon his head, and he clothed him with a coat of chainmail.
39 And David strapped on his sword over his uniform, and after he had tried once or twice to walk, then David said to Saul, "I can't walk with these, for I am not used to them." So they took them off him.
David strapped his sword on his armor. But he was not able to walk, because he had not trained with them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go out to fight with these, for I have not trained with them.” So David put them off.
40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in the shepherd's bag, in the pouch. And his sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.
He took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones out of the brook; he put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand as he approached the Philistine.
41 So the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, and his shield-bearer was in front of him.
The Philistine came and approached David, with his shield bearer in front of him.
42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him, for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and handsome in appearance.
When the Philistine looked around and saw David, he despised him, for he was only a boy, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance.
43 The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with a stick and stones?" And David said, "No, worse than a dog." And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
Then the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?,” and the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44 The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the field."
The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the field.”
45 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 replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin. But I come to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
46 Today, the LORD will deliver you into my hand; and I will strike you, and take your head from off you. And I will give your corpse and the corpses of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air, and to the wild animals of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,
Today Yahweh will give me victory over you, and I will kill you and remove your head from your body. Today I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the heavens and to the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,
47 and that all this assembly may know that the LORD doesn't save with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand."
and that all this gathering may know that Yahweh does not give victory with sword or spear. For the battle is Yahweh's, and he will give you into our hand.”
48 It happened, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
When the Philistine rose and approached David, then David ran quickly toward the enemy army to meet him.
49 David put his hand in his bag, took a stone, and 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.
David put his hand in his bag, took a stone from it, slung it, and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank into the Philistine's forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
David defeated the Philistine with a sling and with a stone. He hit the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in David's hand.
51 Then David ran and stood beside him, 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.
Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword, drew it out of the sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their strong man was dead, they fled.
52 The men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued them as far as Gath, and to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron.
Then the men of Israel and of Judah rose with a shout, and chased after the Philistines as far as the valley and the gates of Ekron. The dead Philistines lay along the way to Shaaraim, all the way to Gath and Ekron.
53 The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.
The people of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.
54 David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.
55 When Saul saw David go out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Whose son is that boy?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I don't know."
When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” Abner said, “As you live, king, I do not know.”
56 The king said, "Inquire whose son that young man is."
The king said, “Ask those who might know, whose son the boy is.”
57 As David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
58 Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."
Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
