| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1The Philistines gathered their troops for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. | 1The Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim. |
| 2Saul and the Israelite army assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against the Philistines. | 2Saul countered by gathering his Israelite troops near the valley of Elah. |
| 3The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites on another hill, with the valley between them. | 3So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, with the valley between them. |
| 4Then a champion came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall. | 4Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall! |
| 5He had a bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor. The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels. | 5He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. |
| 6He had bronze shin guards on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders. | 6He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. |
| 7The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer was walking before him. | 7The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield. |
| 8Goliath stood and called to Israel's troops, "Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose for yourselves a man so he may come down to me! | 8Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! |
| 9If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will become our servants and will serve us." | 9If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! |
| 10Then the Philistine said, "I defy Israel's troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight each other!" | 10I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” |
| 11When Saul and all the Israelites heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid. | 11When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken. Jesse Sends David to Saul’s Camp |
| 12Now David was the son of this Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem in Judah. He had eight sons, and in Saul's days he was old and well advanced in years. | 12Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons. |
| 13Jesse's three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the three sons who went to war were Eliab, his firstborn, Abinadab, the second oldest, and Shammah, the third oldest. | 13Jesse’s three oldest sons—Eliab, Abinadab, and Shimea —had already joined Saul’s army to fight the Philistines. |
| 14Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul, | 14David was the youngest son. David’s three oldest brothers stayed with Saul’s army, |
| 15David was going back and forth from Saul in order to care for his father's sheep in Bethlehem. | 15but David went back and forth so he could help his father with the sheep in Bethlehem. |
| 16Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position. | 16For forty days, every morning and evening, the Philistine champion strutted in front of the Israelite army. |
| 17Jesse said to his son David, "Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; go quickly to the camp to your brothers. | 17One day Jesse said to David, “Take this basket of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and carry them quickly to your brothers. |
| 18Also take these ten portions of cheese to their commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are doing and bring back their pledge that they received the goods. | 18And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain. See how your brothers are getting along, and bring back a report on how they are doing. ” |
| 19They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines." | 19David’s brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines. |
| 20So David got up early in the morning and entrusted the flock to someone else who would watch over it. After loading up, he went just as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the camp as the army was going out to the battle lines shouting its battle cry. | 20So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. |
| 21Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines opposite one another. | 21Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army. |
| 22After David had entrusted his cargo to the care of the supply officer, he ran to the battlefront. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. | 22David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers. |
| 23As he was speaking with them, the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Philistines. He spoke the way he usually did, and David heard it. | 23As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel. |
| 24When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated from his presence and were very afraid. | 24As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright. |
| 25The men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who is coming up? He does so to defy Israel. But the king will make the man who can strike him down very wealthy! He will give him his daughter in marriage, and he will make his father's house exempt from tax obligations in Israel." | 25“Have you seen the giant?” the men asked. “He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!” |
| 26David asked the men who were standing near him, "What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?" | 26David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” |
| 27The soldiers told him what had been promised, saying, "This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down." | 27And these men gave David the same reply. They said, “Yes, that is the reward for killing him.” |
| 28When David's oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry with David and said, "Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! You have come down here to watch the battle!" | 28But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!” |
| 29David replied, "What have I done now? Can't I say anything?" | 29“What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!” |
| 30Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question, but they gave him the same answer as before. | 30He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer. |
| 31When David's words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him. | 31Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him. David Kills Goliath |
| 32David said to Saul, "Don't let anyone be discouraged. Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!" | 32“Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” |
| 33But Saul replied to David, "You aren't able to go against this Philistine and fight him! You're just a boy! He has been a warrior from his youth!" | 33“Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” |
| 34David replied to Saul, "Your servant has been a shepherd for his father's flock. Whenever a lion or bear would come and carry off a sheep from the flock, | 34But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, |
| 35I would go out after it, strike it down, and rescue the sheep from its mouth. If it rose up against me, I would grab it by its jaw, strike it, and kill it. | 35I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. |
| 36Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them. For he has defied the armies of the living God!" | 36I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! |
| 37David went on to say, "The LORD who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!" Then Saul said to David, "Go! The LORD will be with you." | 37The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the LORD be with you!” |
| 38Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him. | 38Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. |
| 39David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them. David said to Saul, "I can't walk in these things, for I'm not used to them." So David removed them. | 39David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. “I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again. |
| 40He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine. | 40He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine. |
| 41The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. | 41Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, |
| 42When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy. | 42sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. |
| 43The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you are coming after me with sticks?" Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods. | 43“Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. |
| 44The Philistine said to David, "Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the field!" | 44“Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled. |
| 45But David replied to the Philistine, "You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel's armies, whom you have defied! | 45David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. |
| 46This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand! I will strike you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land. Then all the land will realize that Israel has a God | 46Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! |
| 47and all this assembly will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves! For the battle is the LORD's, and he will deliver you into our hand." | 47And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!” |
| 48The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. | 48As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. |
| 49David reached his hand into the bag and took out a stone. He slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and he fell down with his face to the ground. | 49Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. |
| 50David prevailed over the Philistine with just the sling and the stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. David did not even have a sword in his hand. | 50So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. |
| 51David ran and stood over the Philistine. He grabbed Goliath's sword, drew it from its sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they ran away. | 51Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head. Israel Routs the Philistines When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran. |
| 52Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward, shouting a battle cry. They chased the Philistines to the valley and to the very gates of Ekron. The Philistine corpses lay fallen along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. | 52Then the men of Israel and Judah gave a great shout of triumph and rushed after the Philistines, chasing them as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron. The bodies of the dead and wounded Philistines were strewn all along the road from Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron. |
| 53When the Israelites returned from their hot pursuit of the Philistines, they looted their camp. | 53Then the Israelite army returned and plundered the deserted Philistine camp. |
| 54David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath's weapons in his tent. | 54(David took the Philistine’s head to Jerusalem, but he stored the man’s armor in his own tent.) |
| 55Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, "Whose son is this young man, Abner?" Abner replied, "As surely as you live, O king, I don't know." | 55As Saul watched David go out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “I really don’t know,” Abner declared. |
| 56The king said, "Find out whose son this boy is!" | 56“Well, find out who he is!” the king told him. |
| 57So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul. He still had the head of the Philistine in his hand. | 57As soon as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine’s head still in his hand. |
| 58Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" David replied, "I am the son of your servant Jesse in Bethlehem." | 58“Tell me about your father, young man,” Saul said. And David replied, “His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem.” |
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