Chapter 17

Now the Philistines gathered⁴ together their armies to battle, and were gathered¹¹ together at Shochoh, which [belongeth] to Judah, and pitched⁴ between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.

And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered⁸ together, and pitched⁴ by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array⁴ against² the Philistines.

And the Philistines stood⁶ on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood⁶ on a mountain on the other side: and [there was] a valley between them.

And there went out⁴ a champion ¹¹⁴³ out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height [was] six cubits and a span.

And [he had] an helmet of brass upon his head, and he [was] armed⁷ with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat [was] five thousand shekels of brass.

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

And the staff ²⁶⁷¹ of his spear [was] like a weaver's⁶ beam; and his spear's head [weighed] six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing⁶ a shield went⁶ before him.

And he stood⁴ and cried⁴ unto the armies of Israel, and said⁴ unto them, Why are ye come out⁴ to set [your] battle in array?² [am] not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose³ you a man for you, and let him come down⁴ to me.

If he be able⁴ to fight⁹ with me, and to kill⁵² me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail⁴ against him, and kill⁵² him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve¹ us.

And the Philistine said,⁴ I defy¹⁴ the armies of Israel this day; give³ me a man, that we may fight¹¹ together.

When Saul and all Israel heard⁴ those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed,¹¹ and greatly afraid.⁴

Now David [was] the son of that Ephrathite ⁶⁷³ of Bethlehemjudah, ³⁰⁶³ whose name [was] Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went¹ among men [for] an old man¹ in the days of Saul.

And the three eldest sons of Jesse went⁴ [and] followed^{1 310} Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went¹ to the battle [were] Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

And David [was] the youngest: and the three eldest followed^{1 310} Saul.

But David went⁶ and returned⁶ from Saul to feed² his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

And the Philistine drew near⁴ morning⁵³ and evening,⁵³ and presented¹⁰¹ himself forty days.

And Jesse said⁴ unto David his son, Take³ now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched [corn], and these ten loaves, and run⁵⁴ to the camp to thy brethren;

And carry⁵⁵ these ten cheeses ²⁷⁵⁷ unto the captain of [their] thousand, and look⁴ how thy brethren fare, and take⁴ their pledge.

Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, [were] in the valley of Elah, fighting¹² with the Philistines.

And David rose up early⁵⁵ in the morning, and left⁴ the sheep with a keeper,⁶ and took,⁴ and went,⁴ as Jesse had commanded¹⁴ him; and he came⁴ to the trench, as the host was going forth⁶ to the fight, and shouted⁵² for the battle.

For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array,⁴ army against² army.

And David left⁴ his carriage in the hand of the keeper⁶ of the carriage, and ran⁴ into the army, and came⁴ and saluted^{4 7965} his brethren.

And as he talked¹⁸ with them, behold, there came up⁶ the champion, ¹¹⁴³ the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies ⁴⁶³⁰ of the Philistines, and spake¹⁷ according to the same words: and David heard⁴ [them].

And all the men of Israel, when they saw² the man, fled⁴ from him, and were sore afraid.⁴

And the men of Israel said,⁴ Have ye seen¹ this man that is come up?⁶ surely to defy¹⁵ Israel is he come up:⁶ and it shall be, [that] the man who killeth⁵⁵ him, the king will enrich⁵⁵ him with great riches, and will give⁴ him his daughter, and make⁴ his father's house free in Israel.

And David spake⁴ to the men that stood⁶ by him, saying,² What shall be done¹¹ to the man that killeth⁵⁵ this Philistine, and taketh away⁵² the reproach from Israel? for who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy¹⁴ the armies of the living God?

And the people answered⁴ him after this manner, saying,² So shall it be done¹¹ to the man that killeth⁵⁵ him.

And Eliab his eldest brother heard⁴ when he spake¹⁵ unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled⁴ against David, and he said,⁴ Why camest thou down¹ hither? and with whom hast thou left¹ those few sheep in the wilderness? I know¹ thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down¹ that thou mightest see² the battle.

And David said,⁴ What have I now done?¹ [Is there] not a cause?

And he turned¹¹ from him toward another, and spake⁴ after the same manner: and the people answered him again⁵⁵ after the former manner.

And when the words were heard¹¹ which David spake,¹⁴ they rehearsed⁵⁵ [them] before Saul: and he sent⁴ for him.

And David said⁴ to Saul, Let no man's heart fail⁴ because of him; thy servant will go⁴ and fight⁸ with this Philistine.

And Saul said⁴ to David, Thou art not able⁴ to go² against this Philistine to fight⁹ with him: for thou [art but] a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

And David said⁴ unto Saul, Thy servant kept⁶ his father's sheep, and there came¹ a lion, and a bear, and took¹ a lamb ²⁰⁸⁹ out of the flock:

And I went out¹ after him, and smote⁵² him, and delivered⁵² [it] out of his mouth: and when he arose⁴ against me, I caught⁵² [him] by his beard, and smote⁵² him, and slew⁵² him.

Thy servant slew⁵² both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied¹⁴ the armies of the living God.

David said⁴ moreover, The LORD that delivered⁵² me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver⁵⁵ me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said⁴ unto David, Go,³ and the LORD be with thee.

And Saul armed⁵⁵ David with his armour, and he put¹ an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed⁵⁵ him with a coat of mail.

And David girded⁴ his sword upon his armour, and he assayed⁵⁵ to go;² for he had not proved¹⁴ [it]. And David said⁴ unto Saul, I cannot ^{3201 4} go² with these; for I have not proved¹⁴ [them]. And David put⁵⁵ them off him.

And he took⁴ his staff in his hand, and chose⁴ him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put⁴ them in a shepherd's⁶ bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling [was] in his hand: and he drew near⁴ to the Philistine.

And the Philistine came⁴ on⁶ and drew near unto David; and the man that bare⁶ the shield [went] before him.

And when the Philistine looked about,⁵⁵ and saw⁴ David, he disdained⁴ him: for he was [but] a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

And the Philistine said⁴ unto David, [Am] I a dog, that thou comest⁶ to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed¹⁷ David by his gods.

And the Philistine said⁴ to David, Come³ to me, and I will give⁴ thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

Then said⁴ David to the Philistine, Thou comest⁶ to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come⁶ to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.¹⁴

This day will the LORD deliver¹⁷ thee into mine hand; and I will smite⁵² thee, and take⁵² thine head from thee; and I will give¹ 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 know⁴ that there is a God in Israel.

And all this assembly shall know⁴ that the LORD saveth⁵⁵ not with sword and spear: for the battle [is] the LORD'S, and he will give¹ you into our hands.

And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose,¹ and came⁴ and drew nigh⁴ to meet² David, that David hasted,¹⁷ and ran⁴ toward the army to meet² the Philistine.

And David put⁴ his hand in his bag, and took⁴ thence a stone, and slang¹⁷ [it], and smote⁵⁵ the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk⁴ into his forehead; and he fell⁴ upon his face to the earth.

So David prevailed⁴ over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote⁵⁵ the Philistine, and slew⁵⁵ him; but [there was] no sword in the hand of David.

Therefore David ran,⁴ and stood⁴ upon the Philistine, and took⁴ his sword, and drew⁴ it out of the sheath thereof, and slew³⁴ him, and cut off⁴ his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw⁴ their champion was dead,¹ they fled.⁴

And the men of Israel and of Judah arose,⁴ and shouted,⁵⁵ and pursued⁴ the Philistines, until thou come² to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down⁴ by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

And the children of Israel returned⁴ from chasing² after the Philistines, and they spoiled⁴ their tents.

And David took⁴ the head of the Philistine, and brought⁵⁵ it to Jerusalem; but he put¹ his armour in his tent.

And when Saul saw² David go forth⁶ against² the Philistine, he said¹ unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son [is] this youth? And Abner said,⁴ [As] thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.¹

And the king said,⁴ Enquire³ thou whose son the stripling [is].

And as David returned² from the slaughter⁵³ of the Philistine, Abner took⁴ him, and brought⁵⁵ him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

And Saul said⁴ to him, Whose son [art] thou, [thou] young man? And David answered,⁴ I [am] the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.