1 Samuel, 17

1. The Philistines mustered their troops for war; they assembled at Socoh in Judah and pitched camp between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-Dammim.

1. Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Aze'kah, in E'phes-dam'mim.

2. Saul and the Israelites also mustered, pitching camp in the Valley of the Terebinth, and drew up their battle-line opposite the Philistines.

2. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines.

3. The Philistines occupied the high ground on one side and the Israelites occupied the high ground on the other side, with the valley between them.

3. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.

4. A champion stepped out from the Philistine ranks; his name was Goliath, from Gath; he was six cubits and one span tall.

4. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

5. On his head was a bronze helmet and he wore a breastplate of scale-armour; the breastplate weighed five thousand shekels of bronze.

5. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.

6. He had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze scimitar slung across his shoulders.

6. And he had greaves of bronze upon his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.

7. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron. A shield-bearer walked in front of him.

7. And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer went before him.

8. Taking position in front of the Israelite lines, he shouted, 'Why have you come out to range yourselves for battle? Am I not a Philistine and are you not Saul's lackeys? Choose a man and let him come down to me.

8. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.

9. If he can fight it out with me and kill me, we will be your servants; but if I can beat him and kill him, you become our servants and serve us.'

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 shall be our servants and serve us."

10. The Philistine then said, 'I challenge the ranks of Israel today. Give me a man and we will fight it out!'

10. And the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together."

11. When Saul and all Israel heard what the Philistine said, they were dismayed and terrified.

11. When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

12. David was the son of an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah whose name was Jesse; Jesse had eight sons and, by Saul's time, he was old and well on in years.

12. Now David was the son of an Eph'rathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.

13. Jesse's eldest three sons followed Saul to the war. The names of the three sons who went to the war were: the eldest Eliab, the second Abinadab and the third Shammah.

13. The three eldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle; and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eli'ab the first-born, and next to him Abin'adab, and the third Shammah.

14. David was the youngest; the eldest three followed Saul.

14. David was the youngest; the three eldest followed Saul,

15. David alternated between serving Saul and looking after his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

15. but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

16. Morning and evening, the Philistine advanced, presenting himself thus for forty days.

16. For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.

17. Jesse said to his son David, 'Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves, and hurry to the camp, to your brothers.

17. And Jesse said to David his son, "Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers;

18. And take these ten cheeses to their commanding officer; find out how your brothers are and bring some token back from them;

18. also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See how your brothers fare, and bring some token from them."

19. they are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of the Terebinth, fighting the Philistines.'

19. Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

20. David got up early in the morning and, leaving the sheep with someone to guard them, took up his load and went off as Jesse had ordered; he reached the encampment just as the troops were leaving to take up battle stations and shouting the war cry.

20. And David rose early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took the provisions, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the encampment as the host was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry.

21. Israel and the Philistines drew up their lines facing one another.

21. And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army.

22. David left his bundle in charge of the baggage guard and, running to the battle-line, went and asked his brothers how they were.

22. And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers.

23. While he was talking to them, the champion (Goliath, the Philistine from Gath) came up from the Philistine ranks and made his usual speech, which David heard.

23. As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.

24. As soon as the Israelites saw this man, they all ran away from him and were terrified.

24. All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were much afraid.

25. The Israelites said, 'You saw that man who just came up? He comes to challenge Israel. The king will lavish riches on the man who kills him, he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father's family from all taxes in Israel.'

25. And the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and the man who kills him, the king will enrich with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel."

26. David asked the men who were standing near him, 'What would be the reward for killing this Philistine and saving Israel from disgrace? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, to challenge the armies of the living God?'

26. And David said to the men who stood by him, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

27. The people told him what they had been saying, 'That would be the reward for killing him,' they said.

27. And the people answered him in the same way, "So shall it be done to the man who kills him."

28. His eldest brother Eliab heard David talking to the men and grew angry with him. 'Why have you come down here?' he said. 'Whom have you left in charge of those few sheep in the desert? I know how impudent and artful you are; you have come to watch the battle!'

28. Now Eli'ab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eli'ab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption, and the evil of your heart; for you have come down to see the battle."

29. David retorted, 'What have I done? May I not even speak?'

29. And David said, "What have I done now? Was it not but a word?"

30. And he turned away from him to someone else and asked the same question, to which the people replied as before.

30. And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way; and the people answered him again as before.

31. David's words were noted, however, and reported to Saul, who sent for him.

31. When the words which David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul; and he sent for him.

32. David said to Saul, 'Let no one be discouraged on his account; your servant will go and fight this Philistine.'

32. And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

33. Saul said to David, 'You cannot go and fight the Philistine; you are only a boy and he has been a warrior since his youth.'

33. And 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 has been a man of war from his youth."

34. David said to Saul, 'Your servant used to look after the sheep for his father and whenever a lion or a bear came and took a sheep from the flock,

34. But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock,

35. I used to follow it up, lay into it and snatch the sheep out of its jaws. If it turned on me, I would seize it by the beard and batter it to death.

35. I went after him and smote him and delivered it out of his mouth; and if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him and killed him.

36. Your servant has killed both lion and bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will end up like one of them for having challenged the armies of the living God.'

36. Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God."

37. 'Yahweh,' David went on, 'who delivered me from the claws of lion and bear, will deliver me from the clutches of this Philistine.' Then Saul said to David, 'Go, and Yahweh be with you!'

37. And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"

38. Saul dressed David in his own armour; he put a bronze helmet on his head, dressed him in a breastplate

38. Then Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a helmet of bronze on his head, and clothed him with a coat of mail.

39. and buckled his own sword over David's armour. David tried to walk but, not being used to them, said to Saul, 'I cannot walk in these; I am not used to them.' So they took them off again.

39. And David girded his sword over his armor, and he tried in vain to go, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these; for I am not used to them." And David put them off.

40. He took his stick in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the river bed and put them in his shepherd's bag, in his pouch; then, sling in hand, he walked towards the Philistine.

40. Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in his shepherd's bag or wallet; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.

41. The Philistine, preceded by his shield-bearer, came nearer and nearer to David.

41. And the Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him.

42. When the Philistine looked David up and down, what he saw filled him with scorn, because David was only a lad, with ruddy cheeks and an attractive appearance.

42. And when the Philistine looked, and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, ruddy and comely in appearance.

43. The Philistine said to David, 'Am I a dog for you to come after me with sticks?' And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

43. And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44. The Philistine said to David, 'Come over here and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the wild beasts!'

44. The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field."

45. David retorted to the Philistine, 'You come to me with sword, spear and scimitar, but I come to you in the name of Yahweh Sabaoth, God of the armies of Israel, whom you have challenged.

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 the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

46. Today, Yahweh will deliver you into my hand; I shall kill you, I shall cut off your head; today, I shall give your corpse and the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the wild beasts, so that the whole world may know that there is a God in Israel,

46. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down, and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,

47. and this whole assembly know that Yahweh does not give victory by means of sword and spear -- for Yahweh is lord of the battle and he will deliver you into our power.'

47. and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and he will give you into our hand."

48. No sooner had the Philistine started forward to confront David than David darted out of the lines and ran to meet the Philistine.

48. When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.

49. Putting his hand in his bag, he took out a stone, slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead; the stone penetrated his forehead and he fell face downwards on the ground.

49. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone, and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

50. Thus David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; he hit the Philistine and killed him, though he had no sword in his hand.

50. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him; there was no sword in the hand of David.

51. David ran and stood over the Philistine, seized his sword, pulled it from the scabbard, despatched him and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

51. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine, 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.

52. The men of Israel and of Judah started forward, shouting their war cry, and pursued the Philistines as far as the approaches of Gath and the gates of Ekron. The Philistine dead lay all along the road from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron.

52. And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Sha-ara'im as far as Gath and Ekron.

53. Turning back from their ferocious pursuit of the Philistines, the Israelites plundered their camp.

53. And the Israelites came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.

54. And David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem; his weapons, however, he put in his own tent.

54. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.

55. When Saul saw David going to engage the Philistine he said to Abner, the army commander, 'Abner, whose son is that boy?' 'On your life, O king,' Abner replied, 'I do not know.'

55. When Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is this youth?" And Abner said, "As your soul lives, O king, I cannot tell."

56. The king said, 'Find out whose son the lad is.'

56. And the king said, "Inquire whose son the stripling is."

57. When David came back after killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine's head in his hand.

57. And 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.

58. Saul asked him, 'Whose son are you, young man?' David replied, 'The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.'

58. And Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" And David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."