David and Goliath
And a champion named Goliath came
out of the Philistines camp; he was from Gath. His height was six
cubits and a span.
And
a bronze helmet was on his head, and he was armed with scaled armor.
And the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.
And
greaves of bronze were on his legs, and a bronze javelin was between
his shoulders.
And
the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam. And his spear's head
weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And the shield bearer went in
front of him.
And
he stood and cried to the armies of Israel, and said to them, Why have
you come out to set your battle in order? Am I not a Philistine, and
are you not servants to Saul? Choose a man for you, and let him come
down to me.
If
he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your slaves.
But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our slaves
and serve us.
And
the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day. Give me a
man, and we will fight together.
And
Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, and they were
dismayed and greatly afraid.
And
David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah named Jesse. And
to him were eight sons. And the man was old among men in the days of
Saul.
And
the three oldest sons of Jesse went out, and followed Saul to the
battle. And the names of his three sons that went to the battle were
Eliab the first-born; and his second, Abinadab; and the third Shammah.
And
David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul.
And
David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at
Bethlehem.
And
the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself
forty days.
And
Jesse said to his son David, Please take for your brothers an ephah of
this parched grain , and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to your
brothers.
And
carry these ten cuttings of cheeses to the commander of their thousand,
and see how your brothers are faring, and take their pledge.
And
Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah
fighting with the Philistines.
And
David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper,
and got up and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the
barricade, and to the army which was going out to fight, and shouted
for the battle.
For
Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in order, rank to rank.
And
David left his baggage in the hand of the keeper of the baggage and ran
into the army, and came and greeted his brothers.
And
he was speaking with them. And, behold, the champion man, named
Goliath, the Philistine of Gath, came up out of the ranks of the
Philistines, and spoke according to these words. And David heard.
And
all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, they ran from him and
were very much afraid.
And
the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man that has come up? Surely
he has come up to defy Israel. And it shall be, the king will enrich
the man who kills him with great riches, and will give him his
daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.
And
David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done to
the man who kills this Philistine and takes away this shame from
Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy
the armies of the living God?
And the people
answered him in this way, saying, So shall it be done to the man who
kills him.
And
his oldest brother Eliab heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's
anger was kindled against David. And he said, Why have you come down?
And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know
your pride and the naughtiness of your heart. For you have come down to
see the battle.
And
David said, What have I done now? Was it not only a word?
And
he turned from him toward another, and spoke according to this word.
And the people answered him again in the same way.
And
the words which David spoke were heard. And they were told before Saul.
And he sent for him.
And
David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your
servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
And
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 is a man of war from
his youth.
And
David said to Saul, Your servant kept his father's sheep, and there
came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock.
And
I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb out of its
mouth. And when it rose against me, I caught it by the beard, and
struck it and killed it.
Your
servant killed both the lion and the bear. And this uncircumcised
Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of
the living God.
And
David said, The LORD who has 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 to David, Go, and may the LORD be with
you.
And
Saul armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of bronze on his
head. He also armed him with scaled armor.
And
David girded his sword on his armor, and he tried to go. But he had not
tested it . And David said to Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have
not tested them . And David put them off him.
And
he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones out of the
brook for himself, and put them in a shepherd's vessel which he had,
even in a bag. And his sling was in his hand. And he drew near the
Philistine.
And
the Philistine came on and drew near David. And the man who bore the
shield was before him.
And
the Philistine looked and saw David, and disdained him. For he was only
a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance.
And
the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog that you come to me with
sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
And
the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to
the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.
And
David said to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword and with a
spear and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of Jehovah of
hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
Jehovah will deliver you into my hand today, and I will strike you and
take your head from you and give the bodies of the army of the
Philistines to the birds of the air today, and to the wild beasts of
the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
And
all this multitude shall know that Jehovah does not save with sword and
spear; for the battle is Jehovah's, and He will give you into our hands.
And it
happened when the Philistine rose and went and drew near to meet David,
David hurried and ran toward the ranks to meet the Philistine.
And
David put his hand into his bag and took a stone from there, and slung
it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank
into his forehead. And he fell on his face to the earth.
And
David was stronger than the Philistine with a sling and with a stone.
And he struck the Philistine, and killed him. But no sword was in the
hand of David.
And
David ran and stood on the Philistine, and took out his sword and drew
it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And
the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and fled.
And
the men of Israel rose up and shouted, and Judah 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 to Gath and to Ekron.
And
the sons of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and
they spoiled their tents.
And
David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem. But
he put his armor in his tent.
And
when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said to Abner,
the captain of the army, Abner, whose son is this young man? And Abner
said, As your soul lives, O king, I cannot tell.
And
the king said, You go ask whose son the young man is .
And
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.
And
Saul said to him, Whose son are you, young man? And David answered, I
am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.