< 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 gathering together their troops to battle, assembled at Socho of Juda, and camped between Socho and Azeca in the borders of Dommim.
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.
And Saul and the children of Israel being gathered together came to the valley of Terebinth, and they set the army in array to fight against 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.
And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was 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.
And there went out a man baseborn from the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Geth, 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.
And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clothed with a coat of mail with scales, and the weight of his coat of mail was five thousand sicles of brass:
6 And he had bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders.
And he had greaves of brass on his legs, and a buckler of brass covered 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.
And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred sicles of iron: and his armourbearer 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.
And standing he cried out to the bands of Israel, and said to them: Why are you come out prepared to fight? am not I a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose out a man of you, and let him come down and fight hand to hand.
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 be able to fight with me, and kill me, we will be servants to you: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, you shall be servants, and shall serve us.
10 The Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together."
And the Philistine said: I have defied the bands of Israel this day: Give me a man, and let him fight with me hand to hand.
11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
And Saul and all the Israelites hearing these words of the Philistine were dismayed, 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 that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Juda before mentioned, whose name was Isai, who had eight sons, and was an old man in the days of Saul, and of great age 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.
And his three eldest sons followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle, were Eliab the firstborn, and the second Abinadab, and the third Samma.
14 David was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul.
But David was the youngest. So the three eldest having followed Saul,
15 Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
David went, and returned from Saul, to feed his father’s flock at Bethlehem.
16 The Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
Now the Philistine came out morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
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;
And Isai said to David his son: Take for thy brethren an ephi of frumenty, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren.
18 and bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers are doing, and bring back news."
And carry these ten little cheeses to the tribune: and go see thy brethren, if they are well: and learn with whom they are placed.
19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
But Saul, and they, and all the children of Israel were in the valley of Terebinth fighting against 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 therefore arose in the morning, and gave the charge of the flock to the keeper: and went away loaded as Isai had commanded him. And he came to the place of Magala, and to the army, which was going out to fight, and shouted for the battle.
21 And Israel and the Philistines lined up in battle formation, army against army.
For Israel had put themselves in array, and the Philistines who stood against them were prepared.
22 And David left his supplies in the care of the attendant, and ran to the army and came and greeted his brothers.
And David leaving the vessels which he had brought, under the care of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the place of the battle and asked if all things went well with his brethren.
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.
And as he talked with them, that baseborn man whose name was Goliath, the Philistine, of Geth, shewed himself coming up from the camp of the Philistines: and he spoke according to the same words, and David heard them.
24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were terrified.
And all the Israelites when they saw the man, fled from his face, fearing him exceedingly.
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."
And some one of Israel said: Have you seen this man that is come up, for he is come up to defy Israel. And the man that shall slay him, the king will enrich with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and will make his father’s house free from tribute 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?"
And David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying: What shall be given to the man that shall kill this Philistine, and shall take away the reproach from Israel? for 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."
And the people answered him the same words saying: These things shall be given to the man that shall slay 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."
Now when Eliab his eldest brother heard this, when he was speaking with others, he was angry with David, and said: Why earnest thou hither? and why didst thou leave those few sheep in the desert? I know thy pride, and the wickedness of thy heart: that thou art come down to see the battle.
29 David said, "What have I now done? Is there not a cause?"
And David said: What have I done? is there not cause to speak?
30 Then he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and they gave him an answer as before.
And he turned a little aside from him to another: and said the same word. And the people answered him as before.
31 When the words that David spoke were overheard, they repeated them before Saul; and he sent for him.
And the words which David spoke were heard, and were rehearsed before Saul.
32 David said to Saul, "Let not my lord's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."
And when he was brought to him, he said to him: Let not any man’s heart be dismayed in him: I thy servant will go, and will fight against the 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."
And Saul said to David: Thou art not able to withstand this Philistine, nor to fight against him: for thou art but a boy, but he is a warrior 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,
And David said to Saul: Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, or a bear, and took a ram out of the midst 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.
And I pursued after them, and struck them, and delivered it out of their mouth: and they rose up against me, and I caught them by the throat, and I strangled and killed them.
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?
For I thy servant have killed both a lion and a bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be also as one of them. I will go now, and take away the reproach of the people: for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, who hath dared to curse the army of the living God?
37 YHWH 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 YHWH shall be with you."
And David said: 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. And Saul said to David: Go, and the Lord be with thee.
38 And he dressed David in a uniform with a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with a coat of armor.
And Saul clothed David with his garments, and put a helmet of brass upon his head, and armed him with a coat of mail.
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.
And David having girded his sword upon his armour, began to try if he could walk in armour: for he was not accustomed to it. And David said to Saul: I cannot go thus, for I am not used to it. And he laid 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.
And he took his staff, which he had always in his hands: and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them into the shepherd’s scrip, which he had with him, and he took a sling in his hand, and went forth against the Philistine.
41 So the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, and his shield-bearer was in front of him.
And the Philistine came on, and drew nigh against David, and his armourbearer before him.
42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him, for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and handsome in appearance.
And when the Philistine looked, and beheld David, he despised him. For he was a young man, ruddy, and of a comely countenance.
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.
And the Philistine said to David: Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with a staff? 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."
And he said to David: Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth.
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 YHWH of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
And David said to the Philistine: Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which thou hast defied.
46 Today, YHWH 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,
This day, and the Lord will deliver thee into my hand, and I will slay thee, and take away thy head from thee: and I will give the carcasses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth: that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 and that all this assembly may know that YHWH doesn't save with sword and spear: for the battle is YHWH's, and he will give you into our hand."
And all this assembly shall know, that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for it is his battle, and he will deliver you into our hands.
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.
And when the Philistine arose and was coming, and drew nigh to meet David, David made haste, and ran to the fight to meet the Philistine.
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.
And he put his hand into his scrip, and took a stone, and cast it with the sling, and fetching it about struck the Philistine in the forehead: and the stone was fixed in his forehead, and he fell on his face upon the earth.
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.
And David prevailed over the Philistine, with a sling and a stone, and he struck, and slew the Philistine. And as David had no sword in his 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.
He ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath, and slew him, and cut off his head. And the Philistines seeing that their champion was dead, fled away.
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.
And the men of Israel and Juda rising up shouted, and pursued after the Philistines till they came to the valley and to the gates of Accaron, and there fell many wounded of the Philistines in the way of Saraim, and as far as Geth, and as far as Accaron.
53 The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.
And the children of Israel returning, after they had pursued the Philistines, fell upon their camp.
54 David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.
And David taking the head of the Philistine brought it to Jerusalem: but his armour he put 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."
Now at the time that Saul saw David going out against the Philistines, he said to Abner the captain of the army: Of what family is this young man descended, Abner? And Abner said: As thy soul liveth, O king, I know not.
56 The king said, "Inquire whose son that young man is."
And the king said: Inquire thou, whose son this man 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.
And when David was returned, after the Philistine was slain, Abner took him, and brought him in 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."
And Saul said to him: Young man, of what family art thou? And David said: I am the son of thy servant Isai the Bethlehemite.

< 1 Samuel 17 >