English Standard Version

Berean Study Bible

1Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.

1Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim.

2And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines.

2Saul and the men of Israel assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah, arraying themselves for battle against the Philistines.

3And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.

3The Philistines stood on one hill and the Israelites stood on another, with the valley between them.

4And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

4Then a champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was six cubits and a span in height,

5He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.

5and he had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a bronze coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels,

6And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.

6and he had armor of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.

7The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him.

7The 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.

8He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.

8And 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.

9If he is able to fight with 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 serve us.”

9If 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 labor for us.”

10And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.”

10Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!”

11When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

11On hearing the words of the Philistine, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and greatly afraid.

12Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.

12Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons in the days of Saul. And Jesse was old and well along in years.

13The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed 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.

13The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah.

14David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul,

14And David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul,

15but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

15but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

16For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.

16For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.

17And Jesse said to David his son, “Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers.

17One 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.

18Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them.”

18Take 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.

19Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

19They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”

20And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry.

20So 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.

21And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army.

21And Israel and the Philistines arrayed in formation against each other.

22And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers.

22Then 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.

23As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.

23And as he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistines and shouted his usual words, which David also heard.

24All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid.

24When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear.

25And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And 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.”

25Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see this man who 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.”

26And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for 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?”

26David 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?”

27And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”

27The people told him about the offer, saying, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.”

28Now Eliab his eldest brother 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 presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.”

28Now 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!”

29And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?”

29“What have I done now?” said David. “Was it not just a question?”

30And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke in the same way, and the people answered him again as before.

30Then he turned from him toward another and asked about the offer, and those people answered him just as the first ones had answered.

31When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him.

31Now David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, who called for him.

32And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”

32And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him!”

33And 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 has been a man of war from his youth.”

33But 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.”

34But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock,

34David 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,

35I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.

35I 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.

36Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”

36Your 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.”

37And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!”

37David 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.”

38Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail,

38Then Saul clothed David in his own tunic, put a bronze helmet on his head, and dressed him in armor.

39and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off.

39David 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.

40Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.

40And 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.

41And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him.

41Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him.

42And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance.

42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.

43And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

43“Am I a dog,” he said to David, “that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44The 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.”

44“Come here,” he called to David, “and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”

45Then 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 the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

45But 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.

46This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,

46This 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 Philistines 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.

47and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

47And 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.”

48When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.

48As the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.

49And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

49Then 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.

50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.

50Thus 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.

51Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

51David 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.

52And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron.

52Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. And the bodies of the Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.

53And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp.

53When the Israelites returned from their pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps.

54And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

54David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent.

55As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this youth?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”

55As 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.”

56And the king said, “Inquire whose son the boy is.”

56“Find out whose son this young man is!” said the king.

57And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

57So when David returned from killing the Philistine, still holding his head in his hand, Abner took him and brought him before Saul.

58And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

58“Whose son are you, young man?” asked Saul. “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David replied.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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