1 Samuel 17
1 The Philistines gathered their army [to fight the Israeli army]. They gathered together near Socoh, in the area where the descendants of Judah lived. They set up their tents at Ephes-Dammim, which is between Socoh and Azekah.
And the Philistines gathered together their hosts, unto battle, and they were gathered together unto Socoh, which belongeth unto Judah, —and they encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim;
2 Saul gathered the Israeli army near Elah Valley, and they set up their tents. Then they all took their places, ready to fight the Philistines.
and, Saul and the men of Israel, gathered themselves together, and encamped in the vale of Elah, and set the army in array against the Philistines.
3 So the Philistine and Israeli armies faced each other. They were on two hills, with a valley between them.
And, the Philistines, were standing near the hill on one side, and, the Israelites, were standing near the hill on the other side, —while, the valley, was between them.
4 Then Goliath, from Gath [city], came out from the Philistine camp. He was a champion warrior/soldier. He was (over 9 feet/3 meters) tall.
And there came forth a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, Goliath, his name, from Gath, —his height, six cubits and a span;
5 He wore a helmet made of bronze [to protect his head], and he wore a coat made of metal plates [to protect his body]. The coat weighed (125 pounds/56 kg.).
with a helmet of bronze on his head, and, with a scaly coat of mail, was he clad, —the weight of the coat, being five thousand shekels of bronze;
6 He wore bronze guards/protectors on his legs. He had a long bronze dagger fastened on his back.
and, greaves of bronze, on his feet, —and, a javelin of bronze, between his shoulders;
7 He also had a big spear. It had a cord on it to enable him to throw it better (OR, which was as thick as a weaver’s beam). The tip of the spear was made of iron and weighed (15 pounds/almost 7 kg.). A soldier carrying a huge shield walked in front of him.
and, the shaft of his spear, was like a weaver’s beam, and, the flashing head of his spear, was six hundred shekels of iron, —and, his shield-bearer, was coming on before him.
8 Goliath stood there and shouted to the Israeli army, “Why are you all lined up for battle? I am the great Philistine [soldier], and I think [RHQ] you are [merely] Saul’s slaves. Choose one man to fight for all of you, and send him down here to me!
And he took his stand, and cried unto the ranks of Israel, and said unto them, Wherefore should ye come out, to set in array for battle? Am not, I, a Philistine, while, ye, are servants unto Saul? Choose you a man, and let him come down unto me:
9 If he fights with me and kills me, then my fellow Philistines will all be your slaves. But if I defeat him and kill him, then you Israelis will all be our slaves.
If he prevail in fighting with me, and smite me, then will we become your servants, —but, if, I, prevail over him, and smite him, then shall ye become our servants, and serve, us.
10 I defy/challenge you men of the Israeli army. Send me a man who will fight with me!”
And the Philistine said—I, reproach the ranks of Israel, this day, —give me a man, that we may fight together.
11 When Saul and all the Israeli soldiers heard that, they were extremely terrified [DOU].
When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and feared exceedingly.
12 David was the son of Jesse. Jesse was from the clan of Ephrath. He lived in Bethlehem, in the area where the descendants of Judah lived. Jesse had eight sons. When Saul [was king], Jesse had already become a very old man [DOU].
Now, David, was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah, whose, name, was Jesse, and, who, had eight sons, —and, the man, in the days of Saul was old, advanced in years.
13 Jesse’s three oldest sons, Eliab and Abinadab and Shammah, had gone with Saul to fight [the Philistines].
And the three eldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle, —and, the names of his three sons who went into the battle, were Eliab the firstborn, and, the next to him, Abinadab, and, the third, Shammah.
14 David was Jesse’s youngest son. While his three oldest brothers were with Saul,
But, as for David, he, was the youngest, —and, the three eldest, followed Saul;
15 David went back and forth: Sometimes he went to Saul’s camp, and sometimes he stayed in Bethlehem to take care of his father’s sheep.
whereas, David, kept going and returning from Saul, —to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
16 For 40 days Goliath came out from the Philistine camp and stood there [taunting the Israeli army/telling the Israelis to choose one man to fight with him]. He did it twice each day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, —and presented himself forty days.
17 [One day], Jesse said to David, “Here is a sack of roasted grain and ten loaves of bread. Take these quickly to your [older] brothers.
And Jesse said unto David his son, Take, I pray thee, unto thy brethren—this ephah of parched corn, and these ten loaves, —and run to the camp unto thy brethren;
18 And here are ten large chunks of cheese. Take them to their commander. And see how things are going with your [older] brothers. Then [if they are okay, ] bring back something to show they are all right.”
also these ten slices of soft cheese, shalt thou take to the captain of their thousand, —and, as for thy brethren, give good heed to their welfare, their pledge, also shalt thou receive.
19 His brothers were with Saul and all the other Israeli soldiers, camped alongside Elah Valley, [preparing to] fight the Philistines.
Now, Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the vale of Elah, ready to fight with the Philistines.
20 So David arranged for another shepherd to take care of the sheep. Early the next morning he took the food and went to the Israeli camp, as Jesse told him to do. He arrived there just as the Israeli soldiers were forming their ranks and going out to the battlefield. As they went, they were shouting a war cry.
So then David rose up early in the morning, and entrusted the sheep to a keeper, and took up [the provisions] and went his way, as Jesse had commanded him, —and came into the circular rampart, as, the force, was going forth into the ranks, and shouted for the fight.
21 The Philistine army and the Israeli army stood [on the hillsides], facing each other, ready for the battle.
So Israel and the Philistines set in array for battle, army against army.
22 David gave the food to the man who was taking care of the war equipment. [He told him to take care of the food that he brought], and then he went and greeted his older brothers.
Then David entrusted the provisions that were upon him to the care of the keeper of the stores, and ran unto the ranks, —and came and asked for the welfare of his brethren.
23 While he was talking with them, he saw Goliath coming out from among the Philistine soldiers, shouting [to the Israelis], challenging them [to send a man to fight him]. David heard what Goliath was saying.
Now, as he was speaking with them, lo! the champion coming up, Goliath the Philistine, by name, of Gath, [coming up] out of the ranks of the Philistines, and he spake according to these words, —and David heard [them].
24 When all the Israeli soldiers saw Goliath, they were terrified and started to ran away.
Now, all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from before him, and feared exceedingly.
25 They were saying to each other, “Look at him coming up toward us! And listen to him as he defies us Israelis! The king says that he will give a big reward to whoever kills this man. He also says that he will give his daughter to that man for him to marry her, and that he will no longer require that man’s family to pay taxes.”
And the men of Israel said—Have ye seen this man that is coming up? For, to reproach Israel, is he coming. So then it shall be, that, the man that shall smite him, the same, will the king enrich with great riches, and, his own daughter, will give him, and, his father’s house, will he make free in Israel.
26 David talked to some of the men who were standing near him. He said, “What will be given to whoever kills this Philistine and frees us Israelis from this shame/disgrace? And who [does] this heathen Philistine [think he] is, defying/ridiculing the army that serves the all-powerful God?”
Then spake David unto the men that were standing by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that shall smite yonder Philistine, and so shall take away reproach from off Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he hath reproached the ranks of a Living God?
27 They told him the same thing that the other men had said, about what the king would do for anyone who killed Goliath.
And the people answered him, according to this word saying, —So, shall it be done to the man that shall smite him.
28 But when David’s oldest brother Eliab heard David talking to the men, he was angry. He said to David, “Why have you come down here? Is someone taking care of those few sheep that you left in the desert? I know you are just a (smart-aleck/brat)! You just want to watch the battle!”
Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men, —then was kindled the anger of Eliab against David, and he said—Wherefore is it that thou hast come down? and to whom hast thou entrusted those few sheep in the wilderness? I, know thy pride, and the foolishness of thy heart, for, to see the battle, hast thou come down.
29 David replied, “Have I done something wrong? I was merely asking a question!”
And David said, What have I done, now? Was there not, a cause?
30 Then he walked over to another man and asked him the same question, but the man gave him the same answer. Each time he asked someone, he received the same answer.
Then turned he from him unto another, and said—according to this word, —and the people returned him an answer, like the first.
31 Finally, someone told king Saul what David had asked, and Saul sent someone to bring David to him.
And the words which David spake were overheard, —and, when they told them before Saul, he summoned him.
32 David told king Saul, “No one should (worry/become a coward) because of that Philistine man. I will go and fight with him!”
And David said unto Saul, Let not the heart of my lord fail, because of him, —thy servant, will go, and fight with this Philistine.
33 Saul said to David, “You are only a young man, and he has been a very capable soldier all his life. So you are not able to go and fight with him!”
And Saul said unto David—Thou art not able to go against this Philistine, to fight with him, —for, a youth, art, thou, but, he, a man of war, from his youth.
34 David replied, “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep [for many years]. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried away a lamb,
Then said David unto Saul, Thy servant used to tend his father’s sheep, —and there would come a lion, or a bear, and carry off a lamb out of the flock;
35 I went after the lion or the bear and attacked it and rescued the lamb from the wild animal’s mouth. Then I grabbed the animal by its jaw/throat and struck it and killed it.
and I would go out after him, and smite him, and rescue it out of his mouth, —and, if he rose against me, I would catch him by his beard, and smite him, and slay him.
36 I have killed both lions and bears. And [I will do] the same to this heathen Philistine, because he has defied/ridiculed the army of the all-powerful God!
Thy servant could slay, either a lion or a bear, —and, this uncircumcised Philistine, shall become, as one of them, for he hath reproached the ranks of a Living God.
37 Yahweh has rescued me from paws of lions and bears, and he will rescue me from this Philistine!” Then Saul said to David, “All right, go [and fight him], and [I hope/desire] that Yahweh will help you!”
And David said, Yahweh, who hath rescued me out of the power of the lion, and out of the power of the bear, he, will rescue us out of the hand of this Philistine. Then said Saul unto David—Go! and, Yahweh, will be with thee.
38 Then Saul gave to David his own clothes that he always wore in battles, and he gave him a bronze helmet and a coat made of metal plates.
And Saul clad David with his own military coat, and set a helmet of bronze upon his head, —and clad him with a coat of mail.
39 David [put these things on. Then he] fastened his sword over them, and tried to walk. But he could not walk, because he was not accustomed to wearing those things. So David said to Saul, “I cannot fight wearing all these things, because I am not accustomed to [wearing] them!” So he took them off.
And David girded his sword above his military coat, but was reluctant to go, for he had not proved them, —so David said unto Saul—I cannot go in these, for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
40 Then he took his walking/shepherd’s stick, and he picked up five smooth stones from the brook/stream. He put them in the pouch of his shoulder-bag. Then he put his sling in his hand and started walking toward Goliath.
Then took he his stick in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the torrent-bed, and put them in the shepherd’s-pouch which he had—even in the wallet, and had his sling in his hand, —and so drew near unto the Philistine.
41 Goliath walked toward David, with the soldier who was carrying his shield walking in front of him. When he got near David,
And the Philistine came on and on, and drew near unto David, —and the man carrying the shield was before him.
42 he looked at David closely. He saw that David had a handsome face and healthy body, but that he was only a young man. So he sneered at David.
And, when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him, —for he was a youth, and ruddy, a stripling of fair countenance.
43 He said to David, “Are you coming to me with a stick because [you think that] I am a dog?” Then he called out to his gods to harm David.
Then said the Philistine unto David, A dog, am, I, that thou art coming unto me, with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David, by his god.
44 He said to David, “Come here to me, and I will [kill you and] give your dead body to the birds and wild animals to eat!”
And the Philistine said unto David, —Come, unto me, that I may give thy flesh to the birds of heaven, and to the beasts of the field.
45 David replied, “You are coming to me with a sword and a dagger and a spear. But I am coming to you (in the name/with the authority) of almighty Yahweh. He is the God whom the army of Israel [worships], and he is the God whom you have defied/ridiculed.
Then said David unto the Philistine—Thou, art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with javelin, —but, I, am coming unto thee in the name of Yahweh of hosts, God of the ranks of Israel which thou hast reproached.
46 Today Yahweh will enable me to defeat you. I will strike you down and cut off your head. And [we Israelis will kill] many Philistine [soldiers and] give their bodies to the birds and wild animals to eat. And everyone in the world will [hear about it and] know that we Israeli people worship an [all-powerful] God.
This day, will Yahweh deliver thee into my hand, and I will smite thee, and take thy head from off thee, and will give thy dead body and the dead bodies of the host of Philistines, this day, unto the birds of heaven, and unto the wild beasts of the earth, —that all the earth may know that Israel hath a God;
47 And everyone here will know that Yahweh can rescue people without a sword or a spear. Yahweh always wins his battles, and he will enable us to defeat all of you [Philistines].”
and that all this gathered host may know that, not with sword and with spear, doth Yahweh save, —for, unto Yahweh, belongeth the battle, and he will deliver you into our hand.
48 As Goliath came closer to attack David, David ran quickly toward him.
And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the ranks to meet the Philistine.
49 He put his hand into his shoulder-bag and took out one stone. He [put it in his sling and] hurled it toward Goliath. The stone hit Goliath on the forehead and penetrated his skull, and he fell face down onto the ground.
And David thrust his hand into his pouch, and took from thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine, in his forehead, —that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face, to the earth.
50 Then David ran and stood over Goliath. He pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath and killed him with it, and then cut off his head. In that way David defeated the Philistine without having his own sword. He used [only] a sling and a stone! When the other Philistines saw that their great warrior was dead, they ran away.
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine, with the sling and with the stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him, —but, sword, was there none in the hand of David.
So David ran, and stood by the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off, therewith, his head, —and, when the Philistines saw that their hero was slain, they fled.
52 The Israeli men shouted and ran after them. They pursued them all the way to Gath and to the gates of Ekron [city]. They struck them as they went, with the result that dead/wounded Philistines were lying on the road all the way from Shaaraim to Gath and Ekron [towns].
Then arose the men of Israel and Judah, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, as far as the entrance into Gath, and as far as the gates of Ekron, —and the slain of the Philistines fell in the way to the two gates, even as far as Gath and as far as Ekron.
53 When the Israelis returned from chasing the Philistines, they (plundered/took everything from) the Philistine camp.
And the sons of Israel returned from hotly pursuing the Philistines, —and plundered their camps.
54 David later took the head of Goliath to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.
And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it into Jerusalem, —but, his armour, put he into his tent.
55 As Saul watched David going toward Goliath, he said to Abner, the commanded of his army, “Abner, whose son is that young man?” Abner replied, “(As sure as you are alive/Truly) [IDM], I do not know.”
And, when Saul saw David going forth to meet the Philistine, he said unto Abner, prince of the host, Whose son is the young man, Abner? And Abner said, By the life of thy soul, O king! I know not.
56 Then the king said, “Find out whose son he is!”
Then said the king, —Ask, thou, whose son the stripling is?
57 [Later, ] as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner took him to Saul. David was carrying Goliath’s head.
And, when David returned from smiting the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul, —with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
58 Saul asked him, “Young man, whose son are you?” David replied, “[Sir, perhaps you have forgotten that] I am the son of your servant Jesse, who has served you faithfully, who lives in Bethlehem.”
And Saul said unto him, Whose son art, thou, O young man? And David said, Son of thy servant Jesse, the Bethlehemite.
