1 Samuel 17

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.

1The Philistines, a people who fought against Israel, gathered their armies for war. They camped at Socoh in Judah, between Socoh and Azekah, at a place called Ephes-dammim.

2And 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.

2King Saul and the men of Israel gathered too. They camped in the valley of Elah. They lined up to fight 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.

3The Philistines stood on one hill. Israel stood on another hill. A valley lay between the two armies.

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

4A great fighter came out of the Philistine camp. His name was Goliath, and he came from the town of Gath. He was about nine feet tall.

Note"Six cubits and a span" is an old way of measuring. It comes to about nine feet, much taller than any man you have seen.

5And 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.

5He wore a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a coat of metal armor. That coat weighed about 125 pounds.

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

6He wore bronze guards on his legs. A bronze spear hung on his back, between his shoulders.

7And 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.

7The pole of his spear was as thick as a heavy wooden bar. The iron point on it weighed about fifteen pounds. A man walked in front of him carrying his shield.

8And 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.

8Goliath stood and shouted to Israel's army. He said, "Why did you line up for battle? I am a Philistine, and you are Saul's servants. Choose one man and send him down to me."

9If 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 can fight me and kill me, we will be your servants. But if I win and kill him, you will be our servants."

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

10The Philistine said, "Today I dare the armies of Israel. Give me a man to fight!"

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

11Saul and all Israel heard what the Philistine said. They lost all their courage and were very afraid.

12Now 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.

12David was the son of a man named Jesse. Jesse came from Bethlehem in Judah, from the Ephrathite family. He had eight sons, and by Saul's time he was an old man.

13And 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.

13Jesse's three oldest sons had gone to the war with Saul. Their names were Eliab, the oldest, then Abinadab, then Shammah.

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

14David was the youngest son. The three oldest ones went with Saul.

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

15David went back and forth. He would leave Saul and go home to care for his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

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

16Every morning and every evening the Philistine came out and stood there. He did this for forty days.

17And 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.

17Jesse said to his son David, "Take this basket of roasted grain to your brothers. Take these ten loaves of bread too. Hurry to their camp."

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

18"Take these ten cheeses to the leader of their group of soldiers. See how your brothers are doing. Bring back word that they are safe."

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

19Saul, David's brothers, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah. They were fighting the Philistines.

20And 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.

20David got up early in the morning. He left the sheep with another keeper. He packed the food and went, just as his father had told him. He reached the camp as the army marched out shouting its war cry.

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

21Israel and the Philistines lined up, army facing army.

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

22David left the food with the man who watched the supplies. Then he ran to the battle line. He found his brothers and asked how they were.

NoteThe KJV says David left his "carriage" and "saluted" his brothers. Here "carriage" means the things he was carrying, not a wagon. "Saluted" means he greeted them and asked how they were.

23And 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.

23While David talked with them, Goliath came out again from the Philistine army. He shouted the same words as before, and David heard him.

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

24When the men of Israel saw Goliath, they ran away from him. They were very afraid.

25And 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.

25The men of Israel had been saying, "Do you see this man? He keeps coming out to dare Israel. The king will make the man who kills him very rich. He will also give him his daughter to marry. And that man's family will not have to pay taxes."

26And 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?

26David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine? He would take away Israel's shame. Who is this Philistine anyway? He is not one of God's people. How dare he make fun of the armies of the living God?"

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

27The people told him the same thing again. They said, "That is what will be done for the man who kills him."

28And 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.

28Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him talking to the men. Eliab got angry with David. He said, "Why did you come down here? Who is watching those few sheep out in the wild? I know you are proud and up to no good. You only came to watch the fighting."

NoteThe KJV word "naughtiness" was much stronger in 1611 than it is now. It meant real wrongdoing, not small mischief.

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

29David said, "What have I done now? I only asked a question."

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

30He turned away from Eliab and asked another man the same thing. The people answered him just as before.

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

31Someone heard what David said and told Saul. So Saul sent for him.

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

32David said to Saul, "No one should lose courage because of this man. I am your servant, and I will go fight him."

33And 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.

33Saul said to David, "You cannot go and fight this Philistine. You are only a boy. He has been a soldier since he was young."

34And 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:

34David said to Saul, "I take care of my father's sheep. Sometimes a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock."

35And 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 went after it and hit it. I pulled the lamb out of its mouth. If it turned on me, I grabbed its hair, hit it, and killed it."

36Thy 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 killed both the lion and the bear. This Philistine will end up like one of them. He has made fun of the armies of the living God."

37David 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.

37David said more: "The LORD saved me from the paw of the lion and the bear. He will save me from this Philistine too." Saul said, "Go, and may the LORD be with you."

38And 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.

38Saul dressed David in his own war clothes. He put a bronze helmet on David's head. He put armor on him too.

39And 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.

39David tied Saul's sword on over the armor and tried to walk. He had never worn such things before. He said to Saul, "I cannot walk in these. I am not used to them." So he took them off.

40And 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.

40David took his shepherd's stick in his hand. He picked five smooth stones from the little stream. He put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag. With his sling in his hand, he walked toward the Philistine.

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

41The Philistine came closer and closer to David. The man carrying his shield walked in front of him.

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

42Goliath looked around and saw David. He thought David was nothing. David was only a boy, healthy and good-looking.

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

43The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog? You are coming at me with sticks!" Then he called down curses on David in the names of his gods.

44And 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.

44The Philistine said, "Come here to me. I will give your body to the birds and the wild animals."

45Then 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.

45David said to the Philistine, "You come at me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin. I come to you in the name of the LORD who leads heaven's armies. He is the God of Israel's armies, and you have made fun of him."

46This 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"Today the LORD will hand you over to me. I will strike you down and cut off your head. I will give the dead Philistine soldiers to the birds and wild animals. Then the whole earth will know that Israel has a God."

47And 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"Everyone here will know that the LORD does not save with sword or spear. The battle belongs to the LORD. He will hand all of you over to us."

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

48The Philistine got up and came forward to meet David. David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.

49And 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.

49David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone. He slung it and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.

50So 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.

50So David beat the Philistine with a sling and one stone. He struck him down and killed him. David had no sword in his hand at all.

51Therefore 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.

51David ran and stood over him. He pulled Goliath's sword out of its cover and killed him with it. Then he cut off Goliath's head. When the Philistines saw their fighter was dead, they ran away.

52And 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.

52The men of Israel and Judah shouted and chased the Philistines. They chased them all the way to the valley and to the gates of Ekron. Wounded Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, and on to Gath and Ekron.

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

53Then the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines. They took the things left behind in the Philistine camp.

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

54David took Goliath's head and brought it to Jerusalem. He put Goliath's weapons in his own tent.

55And 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.

55Saul had watched David go out to fight the Philistine. He said to Abner, the leader of his army, "Abner, whose son is this boy?" Abner said, "As surely as you live, my king, I do not know."

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

56The king said, "Then find out whose son this young man is."

57And 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.

57David came back from killing the Philistine. He was still holding Goliath's head in his hand. Abner took him and brought him to Saul.

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

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