1 Samuel 17

1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah (Yehudah), and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.

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

3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Yisrael stood on a mountain on the other side; and there was a valley between them.

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.

5 And he had a 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.

6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass 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.

8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Yisrael, and said unto them, “Why are you come out to set your battle in array? Am not I a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to 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 you be our servants, and serve us.”

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

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

12 Now Dawid was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem (Beit-Lechem) in Yehudah, whose name was Jesse (Yishai); and he had eight sons; and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.

13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse (Yishai) went and followed Saul to the battle; and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliav the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

14 And Dawid was the youngest; and the three eldest followed Saul.

15 But Dawid went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem (Beit-Lechem).

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

17 And Jesse (Yishai) said unto Dawid his son, “Take now for your brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to your brethren;

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

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

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

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

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

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 Dawid heard them.

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

25 And the men of Yisrael said, “Have you seen this man that is come up? Surely to defy Yisrael 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 Yisrael.”

26 And Dawid 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 Yisrael? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God (Elohim chayim)?”

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

28 And Eliav his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliav’s anger was kindled against Dawid, and he said, “Why camest you down hither? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the naughtiness of your heart; for you are come down that you mightest see the battle.”

29 And Dawid said, “What have I now done? Is there not a cause?”

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

31 And when the words were heard which Dawid spake, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him.

32 And Dawid said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

33 And Saul said to Dawid, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

34 And Dawid said unto Saul, “Your servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of 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.

36 Your 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 (Elohim chayim).”

37 Dawid said moreover, יהוה 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 Dawid, “Go, and יהוה be with you.”

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

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

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.

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

42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw Dawid, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

43 And the Philistine said unto Dawid, “Am I a dog, that you comest to me with staves?” And the Philistine cursed Dawid by his gods (elohim).

44 And the Philistine said to Dawid, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.”

45 Then said Dawid to the Philistine, “You comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but I come to you in the name of יהוה of hosts (YHWH Tsevaot), the God (Elohim) of the armies of Yisrael, whom you have defied.

46 This day will יהוה deliver you into mine hand; and I will smite you, and take your head from you; and I will give the carcases of the army 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 (Elohim) in Yisrael.

47 And all this assembly shall know that יהוה saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is יהוה’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

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

49 And Dawid 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.

50 So Dawid 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 Dawid.

51 Therefore Dawid 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.

52 And the men of Yisrael and of Judah (Yehudah) arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until you 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.

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

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

55 And when Saul saw Dawid go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul liveth, O king, I do not know.”

56 And the king said, “Enquire you whose son the stripling is.”

57 And as Dawid 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 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, you young man?” And Dawid answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse (Yishai) the Bethlehemite.”