Goliath

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.

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.

NoteThe Philistines lived by the sea, right next to Israel. The two peoples fought each other for many years. "Pitched" is an old word for setting up tents to camp.

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

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.

NoteSaul was the first king of Israel. Judah was one part of the land of Israel.

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

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.

NoteA valley is the low ground that lies between two hills.

4A great fighter came out of the Philistine camp. His name was Goliath, and he came from the town of Gath. He was six cubits and a span tall.

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.

NoteA champion was an army's best fighter. Sometimes two armies let their champions fight instead of everyone fighting. A cubit was about as long as a grown-up's arm, from elbow to fingertips. A span is how wide a hand is when the fingers are spread. So Goliath stood over nine feet tall, higher than a door.

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

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.

NoteBronze is a hard metal with a brown-gold shine. Armor is metal clothing that keeps swords from cutting you. A coat of mail was made of many small metal pieces, like fish scales. It weighed more than most grown-ups do.

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

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

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.

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.

NoteA weaver's beam was a thick wooden bar used for making cloth. It was about as thick as a fence post. Big shields were heavy, so a helper carried Goliath's shield for him.

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."

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.

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."

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.

NoteServants here means slaves. The losing side would have to work for the winners.

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

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

NoteTo dare someone like this means to say you are not afraid of them. Goliath was also making fun of Israel.

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

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

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.

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.

NoteEphrathite means Jesse's family came from Ephrath. Ephrath was the old name for the town of Bethlehem.

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

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.

NoteThe oldest son was called the firstborn. He was given the biggest share of what his father owned.

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

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

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

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

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

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

NoteForty days is more than a month of waiting.

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."

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.

NoteRoasted grain was cooked over a fire and eaten as a snack, a little like popcorn. The King James calls the basket "an ephah," a measure of grain about the size of a big bucket.

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."

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

NoteArmies were split into groups of about a thousand men. Each group had its own leader. There were no letters or phones, so someone had to go and bring news home.

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

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

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.

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.

NoteA war cry is the loud shout an army makes before it fights.

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

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

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.

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.

NoteThe King James says David left his "carriage." Back then that word meant the things you carry, not a cart.

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

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.

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

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

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."

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.

NoteTaxes are money that families had to pay the king. Never paying taxes again was a very big gift. Marrying the king's daughter would make a man part of the king's family.

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?"

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?

NoteThe men of Israel had a small mark on their bodies. It showed they belonged to God. Calling Goliath "uncircumcised" meant he was an outsider. "The living God" means the God who is really alive. Nearby peoples prayed to statues that could not move or speak.

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

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

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."

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.

NoteThe King James says "naughtiness of thine heart." In 1611 that word meant real wickedness, not small mischief.

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

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

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

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

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

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

NoteThe King James says people "rehearsed" David's words. That means they repeated them, not that they practiced a play.

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

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

NotePeople called themselves "your servant" when talking to a king. It was a polite way of saying "I."

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."

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.

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."

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:

NoteShepherds stayed outside with their sheep all night. Wild animals came, and the shepherd had to drive them off.

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."

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.

NoteThe "beard" here means the thick hair around a lion's neck. We call that hair a mane.

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."

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.

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."

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.

NoteLORD in capital letters stands for God's own name. God gave that name to the people of Israel.

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

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.

39David tied his sword on over the armor and tried to walk. He had not tried them before. He said to Saul, "I cannot walk in these. I am not used to them." So he took them off.

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.

NoteThe King James says David "had not proved" the armor. Proved here means tried out or tested.

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.

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.

NoteA sling was a strap of leather with a pouch in the middle. A shepherd put a stone in it, spun it fast, and let one end go. The stone flew out very fast and very hard. The King James calls his bag a "scrip." That was a small food bag carried over the shoulder.

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

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

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

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.

NoteThe King James says David was "ruddy, and of a fair countenance." Ruddy means his cheeks looked pink and healthy. Countenance means face.

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.

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.

NoteDogs then were not pets. They ran loose in the streets and ate scraps. Calling a person a dog was a nasty insult. "Staves" simply means sticks.

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

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.

NoteLeaving a body outside for animals was the worst shame of all. It meant the person would not be buried.

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."

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.

Note"Hosts" is an old word for armies. A javelin is a light spear made for throwing.

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."

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.

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."

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.

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

And 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

NoteGath and Ekron were Philistine cities. The Philistine soldiers were running back home.

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

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

NoteAfter a battle the winners kept whatever the losers left behind. This was the normal thing to do then.

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

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

NoteJerusalem was a city not far away. Years later David made it his capital city.

8David asked Ahimelech, "Do you have a spear or a sword here? I did not bring my sword or my other weapons. The king's job had to be done in a hurry."

And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.

9The priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine is here. You killed him in the valley of Elah. The sword is wrapped in cloth behind the ephod. Take it if you want it. There is no other sword here." David said, "There is none like it. Give it to me."

And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.

NoteGoliath was a giant soldier David killed with a stone and sling. The Philistines were a people who lived nearby and often fought Israel. An ephod was a special vest the priest wore when he served God.

15Later the Philistines went to war against Israel again. David and his men went down and fought them. But David grew very tired and weak.

Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint.

16A Philistine named Ishbi-benob came from a family of giants. The metal head of his spear weighed about eight pounds. He carried a new sword, and he meant to kill David.

And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.

NoteThe old text says the spear head weighed three hundred shekels. A shekel was a small weight, a little less than half an ounce. "Sons of the giant" means a family known for men who were very tall and strong.

17But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, came to help David. He struck that Philistine down and killed him. Then David's men made him promise something. They said, "You must never go out to battle with us again. The lamp of Israel must not go out."

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.

NoteA lamp was a small clay dish of oil with a burning wick. Calling David the lamp of Israel was a way of saying he kept the country going. If he died, it would feel like the light going out.

18Some time later there was another battle with the Philistines at a place called Gob. There Sibbechai from Hushah killed Saph, another man from the family of giants.

And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.

19There was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. Elhanan, the son of Jaare-oregim from Bethlehem, killed the brother of Goliath from Gath. The pole of that man's spear was as thick as a heavy bar on a weaving machine.

And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

NoteA weaving machine, or loom, had a thick wooden bar across it. Saying the spear was like that bar means it was as heavy as a fence post. Gath was one of the main Philistine cities.

20There was still another battle, this one at Gath. A very big man was there. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. That is twenty-four in all. He also came from the family of giants.

And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.

21He made fun of Israel and dared them to fight. So Jonathan killed him. Jonathan was the son of Shimeah, who was David's brother.

And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him.

Note"Defied" means he shouted at Israel and dared them to fight him. Soldiers did this before a battle to make the other side afraid.

22These four men all came from the giant of Gath. David and his men killed every one of them.

These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

4Some time later, war started with the Philistines at a town called Gezer. In that battle Sibbechai from Hushah killed Sippai. Sippai came from a family of very tall men. The Philistines were beaten.

And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.

NoteThe Philistines were a people who lived near the sea. They fought against Israel many times. The King James calls Sippai one of "the children of the giant." It means he came from a family known for being very big.

5There was another battle with the Philistines. Elhanan son of Jair killed a man named Lahmi. Lahmi was the brother of Goliath, who came from the town of Gath. The handle of his spear was as thick as a bar on a weaving machine.

And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver’s beam.

NoteGoliath was the giant soldier David killed when David was young. Gath was one of the main Philistine cities. A weaver's beam is a thick wooden bar on a machine that makes cloth. So this spear handle was very thick and heavy.

6There was still another battle, at Gath. A very tall man was fighting there. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. That is twenty-four in all. He came from that same family of tall men.

And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on each foot and he also was the son of the giant.

NoteSome people really are born with an extra finger or toe. Together with his height, it made this man look frightening to soldiers.

7He made fun of Israel and dared them to fight him. Jonathan killed him. Jonathan's father was Shimea, and Shimea was David's brother.

But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David’s brother slew him.

NoteThe King James says he "defied Israel." Before a battle, a soldier would shout insults at the other army. He was daring one of them to come and fight him alone.

8All these men came from that family of tall men in Gath. David and his soldiers defeated every one of them.

These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.