1 Samuel, 17

1. Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which [belongeth] to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.

1. The Philistines prepared their forces for battle and gathered together at Socoh, a territory of Judah. They encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephesdammim.

2. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.

2. Saul and the Israelites, meantime, assembled and pitched camp in the valley of Elah, ready for their encounter with the Philistines.

3. And 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.

3. The Philistines took their position on one hill while the Israelites took theirs on another hill, with a valley separating the two forces.

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

4. Then a champion named Goliath came out from the Philistine camp. He was from Gath and was about three meters tall.

5. And [he had] an helmet of brass upon his head, and he [was] armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat [was] five thousand shekels of brass.

5. He wore a helmet of bronze, and a coat covered with bronze scales. His armor weighed sixty kilos.

6. And [he had] greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

6. He had bronze greaves strapped on his legs and a bronze spear slung between his shoulders.

7. And the staff of his spear [was] like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head [weighed] six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.

7. The shaft of his spear was the size of a weaver's rod; its head weighed seven kilos. His shield-bearer went before him.

8. And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set [your] battle in array? [am] not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.

8. He stood in front of the Israelite ranks and shouted, "Why have you come out in battle array? I am a Philistine and you are Saul's men! Choose a man from among yourselves who can challenge me.

9. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.

9. If he fights better and kills me, we shall be subject to you; but if I overpower him and kill him, you shall be subject to us."

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

10. The Philistine added, "This is my challenge to the Israelite troops this day. Give me a man who can fight with me alone!"

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

11. When they heard this challenge of the Philistine, Saul and his men were afraid and greatly terrified.

12. Now David [was] the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name [was] Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men [for] an old man in the days of Saul.

12. Now, David was the son of Jesse, an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah who had eight sons. Jesse was already old during Saul's reign but he had sent men to the army.

13. And the three eldest sons of Jesse went [and] followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle [were] Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

13. Three of his eldest sons had joined Saul in battle: Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab, the second and Shammah, the third.

14. And David [was] the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.

14. David was Jesse's youngest and, while the three eldest followed Saul,

15. But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

15. he would alternate his goings and comings to the army with the care of his father's flock in Bethlehem.

16. And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

16. Every morning and again in the evening, the Philistine would come out to throw his challenge; this he did for forty days.

17. And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched [corn], and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;

17. One day, Jesse told his son David, "Bring a measure of this roasted grain and these ten loaves to your brothers;

18. And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of [their] thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

18. and take these ten cheeses to the field officer. Find out how your brothers are and bring me back some token from them."

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

19. David's brothers and the field officer were with Saul and the Israelites in the valley of Elah, facing the Philistines.

20. And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.

20. David woke up early the next morning and entrusted the sheep to a shepherd. Taking the food along with him, he left in obedience to Jesse's command and arrived at the encampment just when the army was leaving for the battleground, shouting out their battle cry.

21. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.

21. Israel and the Philistine drew up facing one another.

22. And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.

22. On seeing this, David entrusted his load to the baggage keeper and rushed to the ranks to greet his brothers.

23. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard [them].

23. While he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion of Gath, came up from the ranks of the Philistines and shouted out the same challenge as before, this time reaching David's ears.

24. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

24. When the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him terrified

25. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, [that] the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.

25. and one of them said, "Have you seen this man who comes up challenging Israel? Whoever succeeds in killing him will be richly rewarded by the king. He will give him his daughter in marriage and set his family free of every contribution."

26. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

26. David asked those who were around him, "What will be the reward for the person who kills this Philistine and lifts this disgrace from Israel? And who is this uncircumcised Philistine who defies the armies of the living God?"

27. And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

27. The people answered him in the same way, "This will be the reward of whoever kills him."

28. And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

28. When he saw David talking to the men, his eldest brother Eliab was angry and said, "Why did you come here? With whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know you are an insolent fellow. You have come only to see the battle."

29. And David said, What have I now done? [Is there] not a cause?

29. David asked, "What have I done this time? I was merely asking something!"

30. And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

30. Leaving his brother, David turned to another man and asked him the same question, and the people answered him the same way as before.

31. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed [them] before Saul: and he sent for him.

31. David's remarks spread around and reached Saul, who asked for him.

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

32. David said to Saul, "Let no one be discouraged on account of this Philistine, for your servant will engage him in battle."

33. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou [art but] a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

33. Saul told David, "You cannot fight with this Philistine for you are still young, whereas this man has been a warrior from his youth."

34. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

34. But David said, "When I was tending my father's sheep, whenever a lion or bear came to snatch a lamb from the flock,

35. And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered [it] out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught [him] by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

35. I would run after it, kill it and rescue the victim from its mouth. If it attacked me, I would hold it by its beard and slay it.

36. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

36. I have killed lions and bears and will do the same with this uncircumcised Philistine, for he has defied the armies of the living God."

37. David said moreover, The LORD that 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 unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

37. David continued, "Yahweh, who delivered me from the paws of lions and bears, will deliver me from the hands of the Philistine." Saul then told David, "Go and may Yahweh be with you!"

38. And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

38. Saul fitted his armor on David, put a bronze helmet on his head, clothed him with a coat of mail.

39. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved [it]. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved [them]. And David put them off him.

39. David secured his sword over the armor but could not walk because it was his first time. So he said to Saul, "I cannot move with all these trappings on me because I am not accustomed to wearing them." David got rid of all this armor,

40. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling [was] in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

40. took his staff, picked up five smooth stones from the brook and dropped them inside his shepherd's bag. And with his sling in hand, he drew near to the Philistine.

41. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield [went] before him.

41. The Philistine moved forward, closing in on David, his shield-bearer in front of him.

42. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was [but] a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

42. When he saw that David was only a lad, (he was of fresh complexion and handsome) he despised him

43. And the Philistine said unto David, [Am] I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

43. and said, "Am I a dog that you should approach me with a stick?" Cursing David by his gods,

44. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

44. he continued, "Come and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field!"

45. Then said David 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, whom thou hast defied.

45. David answered the Philistine, "You have come against me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come against you with Yahweh, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied.

46. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

46. Yahweh will deliver you this day into my hands and I will strike you down and cut off your head. I will give the corpses of the Philistine army today to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, and all the earth shall know that there is a God of Israel.

47. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle [is] the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.

47. All the people gathered here shall know that Yahweh saves not by sword or spear; the battle belongs to Yahweh, and he will deliver you into our hands."

48. And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

48. No sooner had the Philistine moved to attack him, than David rushed to the battleground.

49. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang [it], and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

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

50. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but [there was] no sword in the hand of David.

50. David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, felling him without using a sword.

51. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

51. He rushed forward, stood over him, took the Philistine's sword and slew him by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they scattered in all directions.

52. And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

52. The men of Israel and Judah raised the battle cry and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron. Wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim to Gath and Ekron.

53. And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

53. Returning from their pursuit of the Philistines, the Israelites plundered their camp.

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

54. David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem but left the armor in his tent.

55. And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son [is] this youth? And Abner said, [As] thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

55. When Saul saw David come out to oppose the Philistine, he asked his general, Abner, "Abner, whose son is that young man?" Abner answered, "I swear, O king, I do not know."

56. And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling [is].

56. The king said, "Ask whose son that lad is."

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.

57. So when David returned after killing the Philistine, Abner took him to Saul.

58. And Saul said to him, Whose son [art] thou, [thou] young man? And David answered, I [am] the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.

58. Saul asked David, who stood before him holding the head of the Philistine, "Whose son are you, young man?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant, Jesse the Bethlehemite."