1 Samuel 17
17
The Philistine Champion Taunts Israel
1The Philistines gathered their camps#Or “armies” for battle and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah. They camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes Dammim. 2Then Saul and the men of Israel were gathered and encamped in the valley of Elah, and they formed ranks for the battle to meet the Philistines. 3The Philistines were standing on the hill on one side and the army of Israel was standing on the hill on the other side with the valley between them. 4Then a champion#Literally “a man of the space between” went out from the camps of the Philistines, whose name was Goliath from Gath. His height was six cubits and a span.#A cubit was about eighteen inches and a span about nine inches, so the Masoretic Hebrew text gives the height of nine feet, nine inches. Ancient Greek versions variously give Goliath’s height as four, five, or sixteen cubits. 5A bronze helmet was on his head, and he was clothed with scale body armor; the weight of the body armor was five thousand bronze shekels. 6Bronze greaves#Or “shin guards” were on his legs,#Hebrew “feet” and a bronze javelin was slung between his shoulders. 7The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam and the point of his spear weighed six hundred iron shekels. His shield bearer#Literally “The one who carried his shield” was walking in front of him.
8He stood and called to the battle lines of Israel and said to them, “Why have you come out to form ranks for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Commission for yourselves a man and let him come down to me. 9If he is able to fight with me and he defeats me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail over him and defeat him, then you will be our servants and you will serve us.” 10Then the Philistine said, “I hereby defy the battle lines of Israel today! Give me a man so that we may fight each other!” 11When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and very afraid.
David Enters the Scene of Battle
12Now David was the son of an Ephrathite. This man was from Bethlehem of Judah, and his name was Jesse. He had#Literally “And for him were” eight sons; in the days of Saul this man was old, yet he still walked among#The LXX reads “he went in years”; that is, he was advanced in years the men. 13The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone and followed#Literally “went after” Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, his second oldest was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. 14Now David was the youngest. The three oldest followed#Literally “went after” Saul, 15but David went back and forth#Literally “was going and was returning” from Saul to feed the sheep of his father in Bethlehem. 16Now the Philistine came forward early and late, and he took his stand for forty days.
17Then Jesse said to his son David, “Please take for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and bring them quickly to the camp for your brothers. 18And these ten portions of cheese you will bring to the commander of the thousand; find out how your brothers are doing,#Literally “make a careful inspection as far as peace concerning your brothers” and take their pledge.”#That is, some pledge or token of assurance that they had received the goods 19Now Saul and they#That is, David’s brothers and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah fighting the Philistines.
20David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper, and he took the provisions and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment while the troops were going to the battle line, and they raised the war cry. 21Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle lines, one battle line against the other.#Literally “battle line to oppose battle line” 22David left the baggage he had with him in the care#Literally “hand” of the baggage keeper, ran to the battle line, and came and asked how his brothers were doing.#Literally “asked his brothers as far as peace” 23While he was speaking to them, the champion,#Literally “the man of the space between” whose name was Goliath the Philistine from Gath, was coming up from the caves#So the Masoretic Hebrew text (Kethib); the reading tradition (Qere) and LXX have “ranks” of the Philistines. He spoke just as he had previously,#Literally “according to these words” and David heard his words. 24When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from his presence and were very afraid. 25And the men of Israel said, “Did you see this man who has come up? For he is going up to defy Israel! It will be that the man who defeats him, the king will make him#That is, the man who defeats Goliath very rich with great wealth and will give him his daughter in marriage and will make his father’s house free in Israel.”#That is, free from taxation 26Now David had spoken to the men who were standing with him, saying, “What will be done for the man who defeats this Philistine and removes the disgrace from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he defies the battle lines of the living God?” 27And the troops had spoken to him according to this word, saying, “So it will be done for the man who defeats#Or “kills” him.”
28His oldest brother Eliab heard while he was speaking to the men, and Eliab became very angry against David#Literally “and the nose of Eliab became hot concerning David” and said, “Why have you come down today, and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumptuousness and the evil of your heart! For you have come down in order to see the battle!” 29David replied, “What have I done now? I merely asked a question!#Literally “Is this not a word?” 30He turned around from him to another opposite him and he spoke to him in the same way,#Literally “and he said according to this word” and the people#Or “troops” answered him as before.#Literally “returned to him a word as the first word”
David Appears before Saul
31Now the words which David had spoken were heard and they reported them to#Literally “before the face/in the presence of” Saul, and he summoned him. 32David said to Saul, “Do not let anyone’s heart fail concerning him! Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33But Saul said to David, “You will not be able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, because you are only a boy, whereas he has been a man of war since his childhood!” 34And David said to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd of the flock for his father. If the lion or the bear would come and carry off a sheep from the group, 35I would go out after it and strike it down and rescue the sheep from its mouth. If it rose against me, I would grab it by its beard and strike it down and kill it. 36Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he defied the battle lines of the living God.”
37And David said, “Yahweh, who rescued me from the hand of the lion and from the hand of the bear, will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine!” Then Saul said to David, “Go and may Yahweh be with you!” 38Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with body armor. 39Then David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire, but he tried in vain to walk around, for he was not trained to use them. So David said to Saul, “I am not able to walk with these, because I am not trained to use them.” So David removed them. 40Then he took his staff in his hand, picked out for himself five smooth stones from the wadi,#A valley that is usually dry but contains a stream during the rainy season and he put them in his shepherd’s bag, in the pouch. And with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.
41Then the Philistine came on, getting nearer and nearer#Literally “went going and near” to David, with his shield bearer#Literally “the man carrying the shield” in front of him. 42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him, for he was only a boy and ruddy with a handsome appearance. 43So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you are coming to me with sticks?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44The Philistine said to David, “Come to me so that I can give your flesh to the birds of heaven and to the wild animals of the field!” 45Then David said to the Philistine, “You are coming to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I am coming to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the battle lines of Israel, whom you have defied! 46This day Yahweh will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head!#Literally “and I will remove your head from upon you” Then I will give the corpses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of heaven and to the animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God who is for Israel. 47And all of this assembly will know that Yahweh does not rescue with sword or with spear, for the battle belongs to Yahweh, and he will give you into our hands!”
David Defeats Goliath
48When#Literally “And it happened that when” the Philistine got up and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly#Literally “made quickly and he ran” to the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49Then David put his hand into the bag and took a stone from it and slung it. He struck the Philistine on his forehead, and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. 50So David prevailed over the Philistine with the sling and with the stone, and he struck down the Philistine and killed him, but there was no sword in David’s hand.
51Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it from its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52The men of Israel and Judah got up, raised the war cry, and pursued the Philistines as far as#Literally “up to your coming to” the valley#So the Masoretic Hebrew text; LXX reads “Gath” and up to the gates of Ekron. So the slain of the Philistines fell on the way#Or “road” to Shaaraim up to Gath and as far as Ekron. 53Then the Israelites#Literally “sons/children of Israel” returned from pursuing the Philistines and plundered their camp. 54And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem and placed his weapons in his tent.
55Now when Saul saw David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Whose son is this young man, Abner?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” 56Then the king said, “You inquire whose son this young man is.” 57So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul. The head of the Philistine was in his hand. 58Then Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”
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1 Samuel 17: LEB
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1 Kings 17
17
1Now the Philistines, gathering together their troops to battle, assembled at Socho of Juda, and camped between Socho and Azeca in the borders of Dommim.
2And 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.
3And 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.
4And there went out a man baseborn from the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Geth, whose height was six cubits and a span.
5And 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.
6And he had greaves of brass on his legs; and a buckler of brass covered his shoulders.
7And 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.
8And 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.
9If 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.
10And 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.
11And Saul and all the Israelites hearing these words of the Philistine were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
12Now, 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.
13And 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.
14But David was the youngest. So the three eldest having followed Saul,
15David went, and returned from Saul, to feed his father's flock at Bethlehem.
16Now the Philistine came out morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
17And 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.
18And carry these ten little cheeses to the tribune. And go see thy brethren, if they are well: and learn with whom they are placed.
19But Saul, and they, and all the children of Israel were in the valley of Terebinth fighting against the Philistines.
20David 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.
21For Israel had put themselves in array: and the Philistines who stood against them were prepared.
22And 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.
23And 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.
24And all the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from his face, fearing him exceedingly.
25And 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.
26And 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?
27And the people answered him the same words saying: These things shall be given to the man that shall slay him.
28Now, when Eliab his eldest brother heard this, when he was speaking with others, he was angry with David, and said: Why camest 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.
29And David said: What have I done? Is there not cause to speak?
30And he turned a little aside from him to another: and said the same word. And the people answered him as before.
31And the words which David spoke were heard, and were rehearsed before Saul.
32And 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.
33And 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.
34And 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.
35And 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.
36For 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?
37And 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.
38And Saul clothed David with his garments, and put a helmet of brass upon his head, and armed him with a coat of mail.
39And 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,
40And 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.
41And the Philistine came on, and drew nigh against David, and his armourbearer before him.
42And when the Philistine looked, and beheld David, he despised him. For he was a young man, ruddy, and of a comely countenance.
43And 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.
44And 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.
45And 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.
46This 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.
47And 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.
48And 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.
49And 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.
50And 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,
51He 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.
52And 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.
53And the children of Israel returning, after they had pursued the Philistines, fell upon their camp.
54And David taking the head of the Philistine brought it to Jerusalem: but his armour he put in his tent.
55Now 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.
56And the king said: Inquire thou, whose son this man is.
57And 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.
58And Saul said to him: Young man, of what family art thou? And David said: I am the son of thy servant Isai the Bethlehemite.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.