I Samuel 17
17
David and Goliath
1Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at #Gen. 41:46; Prov. 22:29Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. 2And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. 3The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.
4And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named #Josh. 15:35; 2 Chr. 28:18Goliath, from #2 Sam. 21:19Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 7Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. 8Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the #Josh. 11:21, 22servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9If 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 shall be our servants and #1 Sam. 8:17serve us.” 10And the Philistine said, #1 Sam. 11:1“I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
12Now David was #1 Sam. 17:26, 36, 45; 2 Sam. 21:21the son of that #Ruth 4:22; 1 Sam. 16:1, 18; 17:58Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had #Gen. 35:19eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. 13The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The #1 Sam. 16:10, 11; 1 Chr. 2:13–15names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15But David occasionally went and returned from Saul #1 Sam. 16:6, 8, 9; 1 Chr. 2:13to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
16And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening.
17Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. 18And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and #1 Sam. 16:11, 19; 2 Sam. 7:8see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.” 19Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. 21For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. 22And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke #Gen. 37:13, 14according to the same words. So David heard them. 24And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. 25So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, #1 Sam. 17:8–10will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.”
26Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away #Josh. 15:16the reproach from Israel? For who is this #1 Sam. 11:2uncircumcised Philistine, that he should #1 Sam. 14:6; 17:36; Jer. 9:25, 26defy the armies of #1 Sam. 17:10the living God?”
27And the people answered him in this manner, saying, #Deut. 5:26; 2 Kin. 19:4; Jer. 10:10“So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”
28Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s #1 Sam. 17:25anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”
29And David said, “What have I done now? #Gen. 37:4, 8–36; (Prov. 18:19; Matt. 10:36)Is there not a cause?” 30Then he turned from him toward another and #1 Sam. 17:17said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.
31Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. 32Then David said to Saul, #1 Sam. 17:26, 27“Let no man’s heart fail because of him; #Deut. 20:1–4your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
33And Saul said to David, #1 Sam. 16:18“You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”
34But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a #Num. 13:31; Deut. 9:2lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. 36Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37Moreover David said, #Judg. 14:5“The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
And Saul said to David, #(2 Cor. 1:10; 2 Tim. 4:17, 18)“Go, and the Lord be with you!”
38So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.
40Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 41So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he #1 Sam. 20:13; 1 Chr. 22:11, 16disdained him; for he was only a youth, #(Ps. 123:4; Prov. 16:18; 1 Cor. 1:27, 28)ruddy and good-looking. 43So the Philistine #1 Sam. 16:12said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44And the Philistine #1 Sam. 24:14; 2 Sam. 3:8; 9:8; 16:9; 2 Kin. 8:13said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”
45Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. #1 Sam. 17:46; 1 Kin. 20:10, 11But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have #2 Sam. 22:33, 35; 2 Chr. 32:8; Ps. 124:8; (2 Cor. 10:4); Heb. 11:33, 34defied. 46This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give #1 Sam. 17:10the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, #Deut. 28:26that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord #Josh. 4:24; 1 Kin. 8:43; 18:36; 2 Kin. 19:19; Is. 52:10does not save with sword and spear; for #1 Sam. 14:6; 2 Chr. 14:11; 20:15; Ps. 44:6; Hos. 1:7; Zech. 4:6the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
48So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and #2 Chr. 20:15ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a #Ps. 27:3sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his #Judg. 3:31; 15:15; 20:16sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.
And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, #1 Sam. 21:9; 2 Sam. 23:21they fled. 52Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to #Heb. 11:34Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. 53Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. 54And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.
55When Saul saw David going out against the Philistine, he said to #Josh. 15:36Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, #1 Sam. 14:50whose son is this youth?”
And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”
56So the king said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.”
57Then, as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul #1 Sam. 16:21, 22with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?”
So David answered, #1 Sam. 17:54“I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
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I Samuel 17: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Shmuel Alef 17
17
1Now the Pelishtim gathered together their machanot (camps, military forces), for milchamah and were gathered together at Sokhoh, which belongeth to Yehudah, and encamped between Sokhoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.
2And Sha'ul and the Ish Yisroel were gathered together, and encamped by the Emek (valley) of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Pelishtim (Philistines).
3And the Pelishtim stood on the har on the one side, and Yisroel stood on the har on the other side; and there was a gey between them.
4And there went out an Ish HaBenayim#17:4 i.e., a middle-man champion whose single combat saves the day and decides the victor out of the machanot of the Pelishtim, shmo Golyat (Goliath), of Gat, whose height was shesh cubits and a span.
5And he had a kova (helmet) of nechoshet upon his rosh, and he was wearing a coat of mail armor; and the weight of the coat of armor was five thousand shekels of nechoshet.
6And he had mitzchah (greaves, i.e., leg plate armor) of nechoshet upon his legs, and a kidron (javelin) of nechoshet [slung] between his shoulders.
7And the khetz (shaft) of his khanit (spear) was like a weaverʼs beam; and his spearʼs blade weighed six hundred barzel (iron) shekels; and the no'se tzinnah (great shield bearer) walked ahead of him.
8And he stood and cried out unto the ma'arkhot Yisroel (ranks of Israel), and said unto them, Why are ye come out to line up for milchamah? Am not I a Pelishti, and ye avadim of Sha'ul? Choose you an ish for you, and let him come down to me.
9If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your avadim; but if I prevail over him, and kill him, then shall ye be to us for avadim, and serve us.
10And the Pelishti said, I defy the maarkhot Yisroel this day; give me ish, that we may fight together.
11When Sha'ul and kol Yisroel heard those divrei haPelishti, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
12Now Dovid was the ben ish of that Ephrati from Beit-Lechem Yehudah, shmo Yishai; and he had shmoneh banim; and the ish#17:12 Yishai was zaken in the days of Sha'ul, advanced in age among anashim.
13And the shloshet Bnei Yishai hagedolim went and followed Sha'ul to the milchamah; and the shem of his three banim that went to the milchamah were Eliav the bechor, and mishneh unto him Avinadav, and hashelishi (the third) Shammah.
14And Dovid was the katan; and the shloshah hagedolim followed Sha'ul.
15But Dovid went and returned from Sha'ul to tend tzon aviv at Beit-Lechem.
16And the Pelishti drew near morning and evening, and presented himself arba'im yom.
17And Yishai said unto Dovid bno, Take now for thy achim an ephah of this roasted grain, and these ten lechem, and run to the machaneh of thy achim;
18And carry these ten charitzei hecholov (cuts of milk, hence cheeses) unto the sar of their elef (unit, thousand), and look how thy achim fare for shalom, and take their arvut (pledge).
19Now Sha'ul, and they, and all the Ish Yisroel, were in the Emek (Valley) of Elah (Oak), fighting with the Pelishtim (Philistines).
20And Dovid rose up early in the boker, and left the tzon with a shomer (watchman), and loaded up, and embarked, as Yishai had commanded him; and he came to the camp, as the army was going forth to the fight and shouted for the milchamah (battle).
21For Yisroel and the Pelishtim took their positions, ma'arakhah (battle array) facing ma'arakhah.
22And Dovid left his supplies in the yad of the shomer hakelim (supply master), and ran into the ma'arakhah (battle line), and came and gave shalom greeting to his achim.
23And as he talked with them, hinei, there came up the Ish HaBenayim Golyat HaPelishti shmo, from Gat, out of the lines of the Pelishtim, and spoke according to these words; and Dovid heard them.
24And all the Ish Yisroel, when they saw the ish, fled from before him, and were greatly afraid.
25And the Ish Yisroel said, Have ye seen this ish that is come up? Surely to defy Yisroel is he come up; and it shall be, that the ish who killeth him, the melech will give ashires gadol and will give him bitto (his daughter) [in marriage], and bais aviv make khofshi b'Yisroel (free, tax-exempt in Israel).
26And Dovid spoke to the anashim that stood by him, saying, What shall be done for the ish that killeth this Pelishti, and taketh away the cherpah (reproach) from Yisroel? For who is this Pelishti hearel (uncircumcised Philistine) that he should defy the ma'arkhot Elohim Chayyim (arrayed battle forces of the living G-d)?
27And HaAm answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the ish that killeth him.
28And Eliav achiv hagadol heard when he spoke unto the anashim; and af Eliav was kindled against Dovid, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? And with whom hast thou left those few tzon in the midbar? I know thy zadon (presumptuousness), and the evil of thine levav; for thou art come down l'ma'an (in order that) thou mightest watch the milchamah.
29And Dovid said, What have I done now? It was only a davar (word) [I said], wasn't it?
30And he turned from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner; and HaAm answered him again according to the davar harishon (the previous word).
31And when the devarim (words) were heard which Dovid spoke, they rehearsed them before Sha'ul: and he sent for him.
32And Dovid said to Sha'ul, Let no lev adam fail because of him; thy eved will go and fight with this Pelishti.
33And Sha'ul said to Dovid, Thou art not able to go against this Pelishti to fight with him: for thou art but a na'ar (boy), and he an ish milchamah (man of war) from his youth.
34And Dovid said unto Sha'ul, Thy eved is ro'eh (shepherd) of tzon of aviv, and there came the ari, and the dov, and carried off seh out of the eder (flock):
35And I went out after him, and struck him, and saved out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught hold by his zakan (beard), and struck him, and killed him.
36Thy eved slaughtered both the ari and the dov: and this Pelishti hearel (uncircumcised Philistine) shall be as one of them, seeing he hath charaf (taunted, defied, disgraced) the maarkhot Elohim Chayyim.
37Dovid said moreover, Hashem that saved me out of the paw of the ari, and out of the paw of the dov, He will save me out of the yad of this Pelishti. And Sha'ul said unto Dovid, Go, and Hashem be with thee.
38And Sha'ul dressed Dovid with his armor-clothes, put a kova of nechoshet upon his rosh; also he dressed him with a coat of mail armor.
39And Dovid girded his cherev over his armor-clothes, and he tried to walk; for lo nissah (he had not tested, proved) it. And Dovid said unto Sha'ul, I cannot go with these; for lo nissti (I have not proved them). And Dovid took them off him.
40And he took his makel (stick, staff) in his yad, and chose him chamishah chalukei avanim (five smooth stones) out of the nachal (brook), and put them in a keli haro'im (shepherdʼs bag) which he had, even in a wayfarerʼs bag; and his kela (slingshot) was in his yad; and he drew near to the Pelishti.
41And the Pelishti came on and drew near unto Dovid; and the ish, the no'se hatzinnah, went ahead of him.
42And when the Pelishti squinted and saw Dovid, he despised him: for he was but a na'ar (boy), and admoni (ruddy), and yafeh mareh (good-looking).
43And the Pelishti said unto Dovid, Am I a kelev (dog), that thou comest to me with maklot (sticks)? And the Pelishti cursed Dovid by his g-ds.
44And the Pelishti said to Dovid, Come to me, and I will give thy basar unto the oph hashomayim, and to the behemat hasadeh.
45Then said Dovid to the Pelishti, Thou comest against me with a cherev (sword), and with a khanit (spear), and with a kidon (javelin); but I come against thee b'Shem Hashem Tzva'os Elohei Ma'arkhot Yisroel, whom thou hast defied.
46This day will Hashem hand thee over into mine yad; and I will strike thee down, and take thine rosh from thee; and I will give the peger machaneh Pelishtim this day unto the oph hashomayim, and to the chayyat ha'aretz; that kol ha'aretz may know that there is Elohim in Yisroel.
47And kol hakahal hazeh shall know that Hashem yehoshi'a (saveth) not with cherev or khanit; for the milchamah is Hashemʼs, and He will give you (plural) into yadenu (our hands).
48And it came to pass, when the Pelishti arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet Dovid, that Dovid hastened, and ran toward the ma'arakhah (battle line) to meet the Pelishti.
49And Dovid put his yad in his keli (bag), and took from there an even (stone), and slung it, and struck the Pelishti in his metzach (forehead), that the even (stone) sunk into his metzach; and he fell upon his face to the ground.
50So Dovid prevailed chazak over the Pelishti with a sling and with an even (stone), and struck down the Pelishti, and killed him; but there was no cherev in the yad Dovid.
51Therefore Dovid ran, and stood over the Pelishti, and took hold of his cherev, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slaughtered him, v'yikhrat (and cut off)#17:51 See Dan 9:26, Moshiach yikaret (will be cut off) but in Daniel the phrase means “Moshiach will be violently killed” his rosh therewith. And when the Pelishtim saw their gibbor was dead, they fled.
52And the Anshei Yisroel and of Yehudah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Pelishtim, until thou come to the gey (valley), and to the Sha'arei Ekron. And the challei Pelishtim fell by the derech to Sha'arayim, even unto Gat, and unto Ekron.
53And the Bnei Yisroel returned from chasing after the Pelishtim, and they plundered their machanot.
54And Dovid took the rosh of the Pelishti, and brought it to Yerushalayim; but he put his kelim (weapons) in his ohel.
55And when Sha'ul saw Dovid go forth to meet the Pelishti, he said unto Avner, the sar hatzavah, Avner, whose ben is this na'ar? And Avner said, As thy nefesh liveth, O Melech, I cannot tell.
56And the Melech said, Inquire thou whose ben this elem (young man) is.
57And as Dovid returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, Avner took him, and brought him before Sha'ul with the rosh of the Pelishti in his yad.
58And Sha'ul said to him, Whose ben art thou, na'ar? And Dovid answered, I am the ben avdecha Yishai of Beit-Lechem.
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THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
FOURTH EDITION © Artists For Israel Intl Inc., 2002-2011, 2021.