God's New Revelations

The First Book of Samuel

Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 17 -

1
And the Philistines gather their camps to battle, and are gathered to Shochoh, which [is] to Judah, and encamp between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-Dammim;
2
and Saul and the men of Israel have been gathered, and encamp by the Valley of Elah, and set in array [for] battle to meet the Philistines.
3
And the Philistines are standing on the mountain on this [side], and Israel is standing on the mountain on that [side], and the valley [is] between them.
4
And a man goes out, the champion from the camps of the Philistines, his name [is] Goliath, from Gath; his height [is] six cubits and a span [[ or four cubits and a span ]],
5
and a helmet of bronze [is] on his head, and he is clothed [with] a scaled coat of mail, and the weight of the coat of mail [is] five thousand shekels of bronze,
6
and a frontlet of bronze [is] on his feet, and a javelin of bronze between his shoulders,
7
and the wood of his spear [is] like a weavers’ beam, and the flame of his spear [is] six hundred shekels of iron, and the bearer of the buckler is going before him.
8
And he stands and calls to the ranks of Israel, and says to them, “Why do you come out to set in array for battle? [Am] I not the Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me;
9
if he is able to fight with me, and has struck me, then we have been for servants to you; and if I prevail against him, and have struck him, then you have been for servants to us, and have served us.”
10
And the Philistine says, “I have reproached the ranks of Israel this day; give a man to me and we fight together!”
11
And Saul hearsand all Israelthese words of the Philistine, and they are broken down and greatly afraid.

David Accepts the Challenge

12
And David [is] son of this Ephraimite of Beth-Lehem-Judah, whose name [is] Jesse, and he has eight sons, and the man has become aged among men in the days of Saul;
13
and the three eldest sons of Jesse go, they have gone after Saul to battle; and the name of his three sons who have gone into battle [are] Eliab the firstborn, and his second Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
14
And David is the youngest, and the three eldest have gone after Saul,
15
and David is going and returning from Saul, to feed the flock of his father at Beth-Lehem.
16
And the Philistine draws near, morning and evening, and stations himself [for] forty days.
17
And Jesse says to his son David, “Now take an ephah of this roasted [grain] and these ten loaves for your brothers, and run to the camp to your brothers;
18
and take these ten cuttings of the cheese to the head of the one thousand, and inspect your brothers for welfare, and receive their pledge.”
19
And Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, [are] in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20
And David rises early in the morning, and leaves the flock to a keeper, and lifts up, and goes, as Jesse commanded him, and he comes to the path, and to the force which is going out to the rank, and they have shouted for battle;
21
and Israel and the Philistines set in array rank to meet rank.
22
And David lets down the goods from off him on the hand of a keeper of the goods, and runs into the rank, and comes and asks of his brothers of [their] welfare.
23
And he is speaking with them, and behold, a man, the champion, is coming up, his name [is] Goliath the Philistine, from Gath, out of the ranks of the Philistines, and he speaks according to those words, and David hears;
24
and all the men of Israel, when they see the man, flee from his presence, and are greatly afraid.
25
And the men of Israel say, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? For he is coming up to reproach Israel, and it has beenthe man who strikes him, the king enriches him with great riches, and he gives his daughter to him, and makes his father’s house free in Israel.”
26
And David speaks to the men who are standing by him, saying, “What is done to the man who strikes this Philistine, and has turned aside reproach from Israel? For who [is] this uncircumcised Philistine that he has reproached the ranks of the living God?”
27
And the people speak to him according to this word, saying, “Thus it is done to the man who strikes him.”
28
And Eliab, his eldest brother, hears when he speaks to the men, and the anger of Eliab burns against David, and he says, “Why [is] this—[that] you have come down? And to whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I have known your pride, and the evil of your heartfor you have come down to see the battle.”
29
And David says, “What have I done now? Is it not a word?”
30
And he turns around from him to another, and says according to this word, and the people return him word as the first word.
31
And the words which David has spoken are heard, and they declare [them] before Saul, and he receives him;
32
and David says to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fall because of him, your servant goes, and has fought with this Philistine.”
33
And Saul says to David, “You are not able to go to this Philistine, to fight with him, for you [are] a youth, and he [has been] a man of war from his youth.”
34
And David says to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd among the sheep for his father, and the lion has comeand the bearand has taken away a sheep out of the drove,
35
and I have gone out after him, and struck him, and delivered [it] out of his mouth, and he rises against me, and I have taken hold on his beard, and struck him, and put him to death.
36
Your servant has struck both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine has been as one of them, for he has reproached the ranks of the living God.”
37
And David says, “YHWH, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He delivers me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul says to David, “Go, and YHWH is with you.”

David Slays Goliath

38
And Saul clothes David with his long robe, and has put a helmet of bronze on his head, and clothes him with a coat of mail.
39
And David girded his sword above his long robe, and begins to go, for he has not tried [it]; and David says to Saul, “I am not able to go with these, for I had not tried”; and David turns them aside from off him.
40
And he takes his staff in his hand, and chooses five smooth stones for himself from the brook, and puts them in the shepherdsvessel that he has, even in the leather pouch, and his sling [is] in his hand, and he draws near to the Philistine.
41
And the Philistine goes on, going and drawing near to David, and the man carrying the buckler [is] before him,
42
and the Philistine looks attentively, and sees David, and despises him, for he was a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance.
43
And the Philistine says to David, “Am I a dog that you are coming to me with sticks?” And the Philistine reviles David by his gods,
44
and the Philistine says to David, “Come to me, and I give your flesh to the bird of the heavens, and to the beast of the field.”
45
And David says to the Philistine, “You are coming to me with sword, and with spear, and with buckler, and I am coming to you in the Name of YHWH of Hosts, God of the ranks of Israel, which you have reproached!
46
This day YHWH shuts you up into my handand I have struck you, and turned aside your head from off you, and given the carcass of the camp of the Philistines this day to the bird of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and all the earth knows that God is for Israel!
47
And all this assembly knows that YHWH does not save by sword and by spear, for the battle [is] YHWH’s, and He has given you into our hand.”
48
And it has come to pass, that the Philistine has risen, and goes, and draws near to meet David, and David hurries and runs to the rank to meet the Philistine,
49
and David puts forth his hand into the vessel, and takes a stone from there, and slings, and strikes the Philistine on his forehead, and the stone sinks into his forehead, and he falls on his face to the earth.
50
And David is stronger than the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and strikes the Philistine, and puts him to death, and there is no sword in the hand of David,
51
and David runs and stands over the Philistine, and takes his sword, and draws it out of its sheath, and puts him to death, and cuts off his head with it; and the Philistines see that their hero [is] dead, and flee.
52
And the men of Israel risealso Judahand shout, and pursue the Philistines until you enter the valley, and to the gates of Ekron, and the wounded of the Philistines fall in the way of Shaaraim, even to Gath, and to Ekron,
53
and the sons of Israel return from burning after the Philistines, and spoil their camps.
54
And David takes the head of the Philistine, and brings it to Jerusalem, and he has put his weapons in his own tent.
55
And when Saul sees David going out to meet the Philistine, he has said to Abner, head of the host, “Whose son [is] thisthe youth, Abner?” And Abner says, “Your soul lives, O king, I have not known.”
56
And the king says, “Ask whose son this [is]—the young man.”
57
And when David turns back from striking the Philistine, then Abner takes him and brings him in before Saul, and the head of the Philistine [is] in his hand;
58
and Saul says to him, “Whose son [are] you, O youth?” And David says, “Son of your servant Jesse, the Beth-Lehemite.”
1
Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle; and they were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephesdammim.
2
Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped in the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
3
The Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
4
A champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span (a) went out.
5
He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he wore a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels (b) of bronze.
6
He had bronze shin armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.
7
The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron.(c) His shield bearer went before him.
8
He stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to set your battle in array? Am I not a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.
9
If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.”
10
The Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel today! Give me a man, that we may fight together!”
11
When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

David Accepts the Challenge

12
Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons. The man was an elderly old man in the days of Saul.
13
The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone after Saul to the battle; and the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
14
David was the youngest; and the three oldest followed Saul.
15
Now David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
16
The Philistine came near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
17
Jesse said to David his son, “Now take for your brothers an ephah(d) of this parched grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers;
18
and bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand; and see how your brothers are doing, and bring back news.”
19
Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20
David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper, and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the place of the wagons as the army which was going out to the fight shouted for the battle.
21
Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army against army.
22
David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers.
23
As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and said the same words; and David heard them.
24
All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were terrified.
25
The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? He has surely come up to defy Israel. The king will give great riches to the man who kills him, and will give him his daughter, and will make his father’s house tax-free in Israel.”
26
David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done to the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
27
The people answered him in this way, saying, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”
28
Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the evil of your heart; for you have come down that you might see the battle.”
29
David said, “What have I now done? Is there not a cause?”
30
He turned away from him toward another, and spoke like that again; and the people answered him again the same way.
31
When the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him.
32
David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
33
Saul said to David, “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
David said to Saul, “Your servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,
35
I went out after him, struck him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, struck him, and killed him.
36
Your servant struck both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.”
37
David said, “The LORD, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go! The LORD will be with you.”

David Slays Goliath

38
Saul dressed David with his clothing. He put a helmet of bronze on his head, and he clad him with a coat of mail.
39
David strapped his sword on his clothing and he tried to move, for he had not tested it. David said to Saul, “I can’t go with these, for I have not tested them.” Then David took them off.
40
He took his staff in his hand, and chose for himself five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag which he had. His sling was in his hand; and he came near to the Philistine.
41
The Philistine walked and came near to David; and the man who bore the shield went before him.
42
When the Philistine looked around and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and had a good looking face.
43
The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44
The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and to the animals of the field.”
45
Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
46
Today, the LORD will deliver you into my hand. I will strike you and take your head from off you. I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines today to the birds of the sky and to the wild animals of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,
47
and that all this assembly may know that the LORD doesn’t save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.”
48
When the Philistine arose, and walked and came near to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
49
David put his hand in his bag, took a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.
50
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand.
51
Then David ran, stood over the Philistine, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
52
The men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as Gai and to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and to Ekron.
53
The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.
54
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.
55
When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the captain of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I can’t tell.”
56
The king said, “Inquire whose son the young man is!”
57
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.
58
Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, you young man?” David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

Footnotes

(a)17:4 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters. A span is the length from the tip of a man’s thumb to the tip of his little finger when his hand is stretched out (about half a cubit, or 9 inches, or 22.8 cm.) Therefore, Goliath was about 9 feet and 9 inches or 2.97 meters tall.
(b)17:5 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 5000 shekels is about 50 kilograms or 110 pounds.
(c)17:7 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 600 shekels is about 6 kilograms or about 13 pounds.
(d)17:17 1 ephah is about 22 liters or about 2/3 of a bushel