Goliath’s Challenge 2 UEB Saul and the men of Israel gathered and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. BSB BSB: Saul and the men of Israel assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah, arraying themselves for battle against the Philistines.
3 UEB The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side with a valley between them. BSB BSB: The Philistines stood on one hill and the Israelites stood on another, with the valley between them.
5 UEB He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of chainmail. The coat weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. BSB BSB: and he had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a bronze coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels,
6 UEB He had bronze armor on his legs and a javelin of bronze between his shoulders. BSB BSB: and he had armor of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.
7 UEB The staff of his spear was large, with a loop of cord for throwing it like the cord on a weaver's beam. His spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer went before him. BSB BSB: The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. In addition, his shield bearer went before him.
8 UEB He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am not I a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. BSB BSB: And Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and array yourselves for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me.
9 UEB If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then will we be your servants. But if I defeat him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us." BSB BSB: If he is able to fight me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and work for us.”
10 UEB Again the Philistine said, "I challenge the ranks of Israel today. Give me a man so we may fight together." BSB BSB: Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!”
11 UEB When Saul and all Israel heard what the Philistine said, they were discouraged and greatly afraid. BSB BSB: On hearing the words of the Philistine, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and greatly afraid.
David Accepts the Challenge 12 UEB Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse. He had eight sons. Jesse was an old man in the days of Saul, very old among men. BSB BSB: Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons. And in the days of Saul, Jesse was old and well along in years.
13 UEB The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. BSB BSB: The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah.
14 UEB David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul. BSB BSB: And David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul,
15 UEB Now David went back and forth between Saul's army and his father's sheep at Bethlehem, in order to feed them. BSB BSB: but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
16 UEB For forty days the Philistine strong man came near morning and evening to present himself for battle. BSB BSB: For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.
17 UEB Then Jesse said to his son David, "Take to your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp for your brothers. BSB BSB: One day Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp.
18 UEB Also bring these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand. See how your brothers are doing and bring back some proof that they are doing well. BSB BSB: Take also these ten portions of cheese to the commander of their unit. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring back an assurance from them.
19 UEB Your brothers are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting the Philistines." BSB BSB: They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”
20 UEB David got up early in the morning and left the flock in the care of a shepherd. He took the supplies and left, as Jesse commanded him. He came to the camp as the army was going out to the battlefield shouting the war cry. BSB BSB: So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with a keeper, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him. He reached the camp as the army was marching out to its position and shouting the battle cry.
21 UEB Then Israel and the Philistines lined up for battle, army against army. BSB BSB: And Israel and the Philistines arrayed in formation against each other.
22 UEB David left his belongings with the keeper of supplies, ran to the army, and greeted his brothers. BSB BSB: Then David left his supplies in the care of the quartermaster and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing.
23 UEB As he talked with them, the strong man, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, and he came out of the ranks of the Philistines, and said the same words as before, and David heard them. BSB BSB: And as he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the ranks of the Philistines and shouted his usual words, which David also heard.
24 UEB When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were very afraid. BSB BSB: When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear.
25 UEB The men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? He has come to challenge Israel. The king will give great riches to the man who kills him, and he will give his daughter to him in marriage, and will make his father's house free from taxation in Israel." BSB BSB: Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”
26 UEB David said to the men who stood by him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" BSB BSB: David asked the men who were standing with him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
27 UEB Then the people repeated what they had been saying and told him, "So it will be done for the man who kills him." BSB BSB: The people told him about the offer, saying, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.”
28 UEB Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride, and the mischief in your heart; for you have come down here so that you might see the battle." BSB BSB: Now when David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, his anger burned against David. “Why have you come down here?” he asked. “And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and wickedness of heart—you have come down to see the battle!”
29 UEB David said, "What have I done now? Was it not just a question?" BSB BSB: “What have I done now?” said David. “Was it not just a question?”
30 UEB He turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way. The people answered the same thing as before. BSB BSB: Then he turned from him toward another and asked about the offer, and those people answered him just as the first ones had answered.
31 UEB When the words that David said were heard, soldiers repeated them to Saul, and he sent for David. BSB BSB: Now David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, who sent for him.
32 UEB Then David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of that Philistine; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." BSB BSB: And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him!”
33 UEB Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are only a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." BSB BSB: But Saul replied, “You cannot go out against this Philistine to fight him. You are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
34 UEB But David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, BSB BSB: David replied, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock,
35 UEB I chased after him and attacked him, and rescued it out of his mouth. When he rose up against me, I caught him by his beard, struck him, and killed him. BSB BSB: I went after it, struck it down, and delivered the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it.
36 UEB Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has challenged the armies of the living God." BSB BSB: Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”
37 UEB David said, "Yahweh rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear. He will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." Then Saul said to David, "Go, and may Yahweh be with you." BSB BSB: David added, “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” “Go,” said Saul, “and may the LORD be with you.”
David Slays Goliath 38 UEB Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze upon his head, and he clothed him with a coat of chainmail. BSB BSB: Then Saul clothed David in his own tunic, put a bronze helmet on his head, and dressed him in armor.
39 UEB David strapped his sword on his armor. But he was not able to walk, because he had not trained with them. Then David said to Saul, "I cannot go out to fight with these, for I have not trained with them." So David put them off. BSB BSB: David strapped his sword over the tunic and tried to walk, but he was not accustomed to them. “I cannot walk in these,” David said to Saul. “I am not accustomed to them.” So David took them off.
40 UEB He took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones out of the brook; he put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand as he approached the Philistine. BSB BSB: And David took his staff in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine.
41 UEB The Philistine came and approached David, with his shield bearer in front of him. BSB BSB: Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him.
42 UEB When the Philistine looked around and saw David, he despised him, for he was only a boy, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. BSB BSB: When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.
44 UEB The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the field." BSB BSB: “Come here,” he called to David, “and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”
45 UEB David replied to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin. But I come to you in the name of Yahweh of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. BSB BSB: But David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
46 UEB Today Yahweh will give me victory over you, and I will kill you and remove your head from your body. Today I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the heavens and to the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, BSB BSB: This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. This day I will strike you down, cut off your head, and give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the creatures of the earth. Then the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.
47 UEB and that all this gathering may know that Yahweh does not give victory with sword or spear. For the battle is Yahweh's, and he will give you into our hand." BSB BSB: And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”
48 UEB When the Philistine rose and approached David, then David ran quickly toward the enemy army to meet him. BSB BSB: As the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.
49 UEB David put his hand in his bag, took a stone from it, slung it, and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank into the Philistine's forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. BSB BSB: Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50 UEB David defeated the Philistine with a sling and with a stone. He hit the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in David's hand. BSB BSB: Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
51 UEB Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword, drew it out of the sheath, killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their strong man was dead, they fled. BSB BSB: David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him, and he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.
53 UEB The people of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. BSB BSB: When the Israelites returned from their pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps.
54 UEB David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent. BSB BSB: David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.
55 UEB 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 you live, king, I do not know." BSB BSB: As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “As surely as you live, O king,” Abner replied, “I do not know.”
56 UEB The king said, "Ask those who might know, whose son the boy is." BSB BSB: “Find out whose son this young man is!” said the king.
57 UEB When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. BSB BSB: So when David returned from killing the Philistine, still holding his head in his hand, Abner took him and brought him before Saul.
58 UEB Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite." BSB BSB: “Whose son are you, young man?” asked Saul. “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David replied.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.