| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1The Philistines gathered their troops for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. | 1Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah in 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 and the men of Israel assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah, arraying themselves for battle against the Philistines. |
| 3The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites on another hill, with the valley between them. | 3The Philistines stood on one hill and the Israelites stood on another, 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 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 bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor. The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels. | 5and he had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a bronze coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels, |
| 6He had bronze shin guards on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over 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 the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer was walking 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. |
| 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! | 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 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 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.” |
| 10Then the Philistine said, "I defy Israel's troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight each other!" | 10Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man to fight!” |
| 11When Saul and all the Israelites heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid. | 11On hearing the words of the Philistine, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and greatly afraid. |
| 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 of Judah who had eight sons in the days of Saul. And Jesse was old and well along in years. |
| 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. | 13The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. |
| 14Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul, | 14And David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul, |
| 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 from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem. |
| 16Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position. | 16For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand. |
| 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 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 portions of cheese to their commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are doing and bring back their pledge that they received the goods. | 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. |
| 19They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army 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.” |
| 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 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. |
| 21Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines opposite one another. | 21And Israel and the Philistines arrayed in formation against each other. |
| 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. | 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 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. | 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. |
| 24When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated from his presence and were very afraid. | 24When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear. |
| 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." | 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.” |
| 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 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?” |
| 27The soldiers told him what had been promised, saying, "This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down." | 27The people told him about the offer, saying, “That is what will be done for the man who kills 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!" | 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!” |
| 29David replied, "What have I done now? Can't I say anything?" | 29“What have I done now?” said David. “Was it not just 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. | 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 David's words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him. | 31Now David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, who called for him. |
| 32David said to Saul, "Don't let anyone be discouraged. Your servant will go and fight 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!” |
| 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!" | 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.” |
| 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, | 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 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 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 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!" | 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.” |
| 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." | 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 own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him. | 38Then Saul clothed David in his own tunic, put a bronze helmet on his head, and dressed him in armor. |
| 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 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 41The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. | 41Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him. |
| 42When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy. | 42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome. |
| 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 said to David, “that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by 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 here,” he called to David, “and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” |
| 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! | 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 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 | 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 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 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.” |
| 48The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. | 48As the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 53When the Israelites returned from their hot pursuit of the Philistines, they looted their camp. | 53When the Israelites returned from their pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. |
| 54David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath's weapons 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. |
| 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 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.” |
| 56The king said, "Find out whose son this boy is!" | 56“Find out whose son this young man is!” said the king. |
| 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. | 57So when David returned from killing the Philistine, still holding his head in his hand, Abner took him and brought him before Saul. |
| 58Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" David replied, "I am the son of your servant Jesse in Bethlehem." | 58“Whose son are you, young man?” asked Saul. “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David replied. |
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