1 Samuel 17
1 And the Philistines gather their camps to battle, and are gathered to Shochoh, which [is] to Judah, and encamp between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-Dammim;
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.
2 and Saul and the men of Israel have been gathered, and encamp by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array to meet the Philistines.
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.
3 And the Philistines are standing on the mountain on this side, and the Israelites are standing on the mountain on that side, and the valley [is] between them.
So the Philistine and Israeli armies faced each other. They were on two hills, with a valley between them.
4 And there goeth out a man of the duellists from the camps of the Philistines, Goliath [is] his name, from Gath; his height [is] six cubits and a span,
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.
5 and a helmet of brass [is] on his head, and [with] a scaled coat of mail he [is] clothed, and the weight of the coat of mail [is] five thousand shekels of brass,
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.).
6 and a frontlet of brass [is] on his feet, and a javelin of brass between his shoulders,
He wore bronze guards/protectors on his legs. He had a long bronze dagger fastened on his back.
7 and the wood of his spear [is] like a beam of weavers', and the flame of his spear [is] six hundred shekels of iron, and the bearer of the buckler is going before him.
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.
8 And he standeth and calleth unto the ranks of Israel, and saith to them, 'Why are ye come out to set in array the battle? [am] not I the Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose for you a man, and let him come down unto me;
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!
9 if he be able to fight with me, and have smitten me, then we have been to you for servants; and if I am able for him, and have smitten him, then ye have been to us for servants, and have served us.'
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.
10 And the Philistine saith, 'I have reproached the ranks of Israel this day; give to me a man, and we fight together.'
I defy/challenge you men of the Israeli army. Send me a man who will fight with me!”
11 And Saul heareth — and all Israel — these words of the Philistine, and they are broken down and greatly afraid.
When Saul and all the Israeli soldiers heard that, they were extremely terrified [DOU].
12 And David [is] son of this Ephrathite of Beth-Lehem-Judah, whose name [is] Jesse, and he hath eight sons, and the man in the days of Saul hath become aged among men;
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].
13 and the three eldest sons of Jesse go, they have gone after Saul to battle; and the name of his three sons who have gone into battle [are] Eliab the first-born, and his second Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
Jesse’s three oldest sons, Eliab and Abinadab and Shammah, had gone with Saul to fight [the Philistines].
14 And David is the youngest, and the three eldest have gone after Saul,
David was Jesse’s youngest son. While his three oldest brothers were with Saul,
15 and David is going and returning from Saul, to feed the flock of his father at Beth-Lehem.
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.
16 And the Philistine draweth nigh, morning and evening, and stationeth himself forty days.
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.
17 And Jesse saith to David his son, 'Take, I pray thee, to thy brethren, an ephah of this roasted [corn], and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;
[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.
18 and these ten cuttings of the cheese thou dost take in to the head of the thousand, and thy brethren thou dost inspect for welfare, and their pledge dost receive.'
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.”
19 And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel [are] in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
His brothers were with Saul and all the other Israeli soldiers, camped alongside Elah Valley, [preparing to] fight the Philistines.
20 And David riseth early in the morning, and leaveth the flock to a keeper, and lifteth up, and goeth, as Jesse commanded him, and he cometh in to the path, and to the force which is going out unto the rank, and they have shouted for battle;
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.
21 and Israel and the Philistines set in array rank to meet rank.
The Philistine army and the Israeli army stood [on the hillsides], facing each other, ready for the battle.
22 And David letteth down the goods from off him on the hand of a keeper of the goods, and runneth into the rank, and cometh and asketh of his brethren of welfare.
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.
23 And he is speaking with them, and lo, a man of the duellists is coming up, Goliath the Philistine [is] his name, of Gath, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and he speaketh according to those words, and David heareth;
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.
24 and all the men of Israel when they see the man flee from his presence, and are greatly afraid.
When all the Israeli soldiers saw Goliath, they were terrified and started to ran away.
25 And the men of Israel say, 'Have ye seen this man who is coming up? for, to reproach Israel he is coming up, and it hath been — the man who smiteth him, the king doth enrich him with great riches, and his daughter he doth give to him, and his father's house doth make free in Israel.'
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.”
26 And David speaketh unto the men who are standing by him, saying, 'What is done to the man who smiteth this Philistine, and hath turned aside reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine that he hath reproached the ranks of the living God?'
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?”
27 And the people speak to him according to this word, saying, 'Thus it is done to the man who smiteth him.'
They told him the same thing that the other men had said, about what the king would do for anyone who killed Goliath.
28 And Eliab, his eldest brother, heareth when he speaketh unto the men, and the anger of Eliab burneth against David, and he saith, 'Why [is] this — thou hast come down! and to whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I have known thy pride, and the evil of thy heart — for, to see the battle thou hast come down.'
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!”
29 And David saith, 'What have I done now? is it not a word?'
David replied, “Have I done something wrong? I was merely asking a question!”
30 And he turneth round from him unto another, and saith according to this word, and the people return him word as the first word.
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.
31 And the words which David hath spoken are heard, and they declare before Saul, and he receiveth him;
Finally, someone told king Saul what David had asked, and Saul sent someone to bring David to him.
32 and David saith unto Saul, 'Let no man's heart fall because of him, thy servant doth go, and hath fought with this Philistine.'
David told king Saul, “No one should (worry/become a coward) because of that Philistine man. I will go and fight with him!”
33 And Saul saith unto David, 'Thou art not able to go unto this Philistine, to fight with him, for a youth thou [art], and he a man of war from his youth.'
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!”
34 And David saith unto Saul, 'A shepherd hath thy servant been to his father among the sheep, and the lion hath come — and the bear — and hath taken away a sheep out of the drove,
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,
35 and I have gone out after him, and smitten him, and delivered out of his mouth, and he riseth against me, and I have taken hold on his beard, and smitten him, and put him to death.
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.
36 Both the lion and the bear hath thy servant smitten, and this uncircumcised Philistine hath been as one of them, for he hath reproached the ranks of the living God.'
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!
37 And David saith, 'Jehovah, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He doth deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.' And Saul saith unto David, 'Go, and Jehovah is with thee.'
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!”
38 And Saul clotheth David with his long robe, and hath put a helmet of brass on his head, and doth clothe him with a coat of mail.
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.
39 And David girded his sword above his long robe, and beginneth to go, for he hath not tried [it]; and David saith unto Saul, 'I am not able to go with these, for I had not tried;' and David turneth them aside from off him.
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.
40 And he taketh his staff in his hand, and chooseth for him five smooth stones from the brook, and putteth them in the shepherds' habiliments that he hath, even in the scrip, and his sling [is] in his hand, and he draweth nigh unto the Philistine.
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.
41 And the Philistine goeth on, going and drawing near unto David, and the man bearing the buckler [is] before him,
Goliath walked toward David, with the soldier who was carrying his shield walking in front of him. When he got near David,
42 and the Philistine looketh attentively, and seeth David, and despiseth him, for he was a youth, and ruddy, with a fair appearance.
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.
43 And the Philistine saith unto David, 'Am I a dog that thou art coming unto me with staves?' and the Philistine revileth David by his gods,
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.
44 and the Philistine saith unto David, 'Come unto me, and I give thy flesh to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the field.'
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!”
45 And David saith unto the Philistine, 'Thou art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with buckler, and I am coming unto thee in the name of Jehovah of Hosts, God of the ranks of Israel, which thou hast reproached.
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.
46 This day doth Jehovah shut thee up into my hand — and I have smitten thee, and turned aside thy head from off thee, and given the carcase of the camp of the Philistines this day to the fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and all the earth do know that God is for Israel.
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.
47 and all this assembly do know that not by sword and by spear doth Jehovah save, that the battle [is] Jehovah's, and He hath given you into our hand.'
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].”
48 And it hath come to pass, that the Philistine hath risen, and goeth, and draweth near to meet David, and David hasteth and runneth to the rank to meet the Philistine,
As Goliath came closer to attack David, David ran quickly toward him.
49 and David putteth forth his hand unto the vessel, and taketh thence a stone, and slingeth, and smiteth the Philistine on his forehead, and the stone sinketh into his forehead, and he falleth on his face to the earth.
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.
50 And David is stronger than the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smiteth the Philistine, and putteth him to death, and there is no sword in the hand of David,
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.
51 and David runneth and standeth over the Philistine, and taketh his sword, and draweth it out of its sheath, and putteth him to death, and cutteth off with it his head; and the Philistines see that their hero [is] dead, and flee.
52 And the men of Israel rise — also Judah — and shout, and pursue the Philistines till thou enter the valley, and unto the gates of Ekron, and the wounded of the Philistines fall in the way of Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron,
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].
53 and the sons of Israel turn back from burning after the Philistines, and spoil their camps.
When the Israelis returned from chasing the Philistines, they (plundered/took everything from) the Philistine camp.
54 And David taketh the head of the Philistine, and bringeth it in to Jerusalem, and his weapons he hath put in his own tent.
David later took the head of Goliath to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.
55 And when Saul seeth David going out to meet the Philistine, he hath said unto Abner, head of the host, 'Whose son [is] this — the youth, Abner?' and Abner saith, 'Thy soul liveth, O king, I have not known.'
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.”
56 And the king saith, 'Ask thou whose son this [is] — the young man.'
Then the king said, “Find out whose son he is!”
57 And when David turneth back from smiting the Philistine, then Abner taketh him and bringeth him in before Saul, and the head of the Philistine in his hand;
[Later, ] as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner took him to Saul. David was carrying Goliath’s head.
58 and Saul saith unto him, 'Whose son [art] thou, O youth?' and David saith, 'Son of thy servant Jesse, the Beth-Lehemite.'
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.”
