International Standard Version

King James Bible

1The Philistines assembled their army for battle. They were assembled at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.

1Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.

2Saul and the Israelis assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they set up their forces to meet the Philistines.

2And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.

3The Philistines were standing on the hill on one side while the Israelis were standing on the hill on the other side, with the valley between them.

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

4A champion named Goliath from Gath came out from the Philistine camp. He was four cubits and a span tall,

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

5wore a bronze helmet on his head, and wore bronze scale armor that weighed about 5,000 shekels.

5And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

6He had bronze armor on his legs and carried a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders.

6And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

7The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam and the iron point of his spear weighed 600 shekels. A man carrying his shield walked in front of him.

7And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.

8He stood still and called out to the ranks of Israel, "Why should you move into position for battle? Am I not a Philistine and you Saul's servants? Choose a man for yourselves to come down against me.

8And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.

9If he's able to fight me and strike me down, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and strike him down, then you will become our servants and serve us."

9If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.

10The Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel today. Send me one man and let's fight together."

10And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.

11When Saul and all the Israelis heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and very frightened.

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

12David was the son of that Ephrathite man named Jesse from Bethlehem in Judah. He had eight sons; at the time when Saul was king he was old, having lived to an advanced age.

12Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.

13The three oldest sons of Jesse followed Saul into battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were his firstborn Eliab, Abinadab, his second son, and Shammah, the third.

13And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

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

14And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.

15And David would go back and forth from Saul to tend his father's sheep in Bethlehem.

15But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

16For 40 days the Philistine would come forward, morning and evening, to take his position.

16And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

17Jesse told his son David, "Take this ephah of roasted grain to your brothers, along with these ten loaves of bread, and quickly take them to your brothers in the camp.

17And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;

18Take these ten pieces of cheese to the commander of the unit, check on the well-being of your brothers, and bring something back from them.

18And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

19Saul, your brothers, and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines."

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

20David got up early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, took the supplies, and went as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the encampment as the army was going out to the battle line, shouting the battle cry.

20And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.

21Israel and the Philistines moved into position for battle, battle line facing battle line.

21For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.

22David left the supplies he had with him in the care of the supply keeper and ran to the battle line. When he arrived there, he asked his brothers about their well-being.

22And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.

23As he was speaking with them, the Philistine champion named Goliath from Gath came up from the Philistine battle lines and spoke his usual words, as David listened.

23And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

24When all the Israelis saw the man, they fled from him and were very frightened.

24And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

25"Did all of you see this man coming up?" one Israeli asked. "He comes up to defy Israel, and the king will richly reward the man who kills him. He will give his daughter to him and will make his father's house tax free in Israel."

25And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.

26David asked the men who were standing by him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? Indeed, who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

26And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

27The people also told him the same thing, saying, "This is what will be done for the man who kills him."

27And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

28Eliab his oldest brother heard him talking to the men. Eliab was angry with David and said, "Why did you come down here? And who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your insolence and wicked intentions. You came down just to see the battle!"

28And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

29"What have I done now?" David asked. "It was just a question, wasn't it?"

29And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

30Then he turned from him toward another person and asked the same thing. The people replied to him the same way as the first one had.

30And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

31When the words that David had spoken were heard, they were reported to Saul, and he sent for him.

31And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

32David told Saul, "Let no one's courage fail because of him; your servant will go fight this Philistine."

32And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

33Saul told David, "You can't go against this Philistine and fight him. You are only a young man, but he has been a warrior since his youth."

33And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

34David told Saul, "Your servant has been a shepherd for his father. When a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock,

34And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

35I would go out after it, strike it down, and rescue the lamb from its mouth. Then when it rose up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it.

35And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

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

36Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

37David continued, "The LORD who delivered me from the power of the lion and the power of the bear will also deliver me from the power of this Philistine." Saul told David, "Go! And may the LORD be with you."

37David said moreover, The LORD that 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 unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

38Saul put his garments on David, set a bronze helmet on his head, and put armor on him.

38And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

39David strapped Saul's sword over his garments and tried to walk, but he was not used to the armor. David told Saul, "I can't walk in these because I'm not used to them," and then took them off.

39And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

40He took his staff in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in the pouch in his shepherd's bag. He approached the Philistine with his sling in his hand.

40And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

41With a man carrying his shield in front of him, the Philistine kept coming closer to David.

41And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.

42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he had contempt for him, because he was only a young man. David had a dark, healthy complexion and was handsome.

42And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

43The Philistine asked David, "Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?" Then the Philistine cursed David by his own gods and

43And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44told David, "Come to me! I'll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and to the beasts of the field."

44And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

45Then David told the Philistine, "You come at me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied.

45Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

46This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I'll strike you down and remove your head from you. And this very day I'll give the dead bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and to the animals of the earth, so that all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel,

46This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47and this whole congregation will know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or spear. Indeed, the battle is the LORD's and he will give you into our hands."

47And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.

48When the Philistine got up and came closer to meet David, David quickly ran to the battle line to meet the Philistine.

48And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

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

49And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

50David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone; he struck down the Philistine and killed him, and there was no sword in David's hand.

50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

51David ran and stood over the Philistine. He took the Philistine's sword, pulled it from its sheath, killed him, and then he cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

51Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

52The men of Israel and Judah got up with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance to the valley and to the gates of Ekron. Wounded Philistines fell along the way to Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron.

52And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

53The Israelis returned from pursuing the Philistines and plundered their camp.

53And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

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

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

55When Saul saw David going out to meet the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of the army, "Whose son is this young man, Abner?" Abner said, "As surely as you live, your majesty, I don't know."

55And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

56The king replied, "Go find out whose son the young man is."

56And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.

57When David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him to Saul with the Philistine's head in his hand.

57And 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.

58Saul told him, "Whose son are you, young man?" David said, "The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem."

58And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.