| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. | 1The Philistines gathered their troops for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. |
| 2And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. | 2Saul and the Israelite army assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against the Philistines. |
| 3The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. | 3The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites on another hill, with the valley between them. |
| 4And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. | 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. |
| 5He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. | 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. |
| 6And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. | 6He had bronze shin guards on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders. |
| 7Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. | 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. |
| 8Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. | 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! |
| 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 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." |
| 10And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” | 10Then the Philistine said, "I defy Israel's troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight each other!" |
| 11When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. | 11When Saul and all the Israelites heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid. |
| 12Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. | 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. |
| 13The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. | 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. |
| 14David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. | 14Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul, |
| 15But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. | 15David was going back and forth from Saul in order to care for his father's sheep in Bethlehem. |
| 16And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening. | 16Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position. |
| 17Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. | 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. |
| 18And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.” | 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. |
| 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 the whole Israelite army in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines." |
| 20So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. | 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. |
| 21For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. | 21Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines opposite one another. |
| 22And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. | 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. |
| 23Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. | 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. |
| 24And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. | 24When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated from his presence and were very afraid. |
| 25So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.” | 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." |
| 26Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “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 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?" |
| 27And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.” | 27The soldiers told him what had been promised, saying, "This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down." |
| 28Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” | 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!" |
| 29And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” | 29David replied, "What have I done now? Can't I say anything?" |
| 30Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. | 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. |
| 31Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. | 31When David's words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him. |
| 32Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” | 32David said to Saul, "Don't let anyone be discouraged. Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!" |
| 33And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” | 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!" |
| 34But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, | 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, |
| 35I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. | 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. |
| 36Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” | 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!" |
| 37Moreover David said, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!” | 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." |
| 38So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. | 38Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him. |
| 39David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off. | 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. |
| 40Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. | 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. |
| 41So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. | 41The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. |
| 42And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. | 42When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy. |
| 43So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. | 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. |
| 44And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” | 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!" |
| 45Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, 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 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! |
| 46This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. | 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 |
| 47Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.” | 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." |
| 48So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. | 48The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. |
| 49Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. | 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. |
| 50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. | 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. |
| 51Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. | 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. |
| 52Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron. | 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. |
| 53Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents. | 53When the Israelites returned from their hot pursuit of the Philistines, they looted their camp. |
| 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 tent. |
| 55When Saul saw David going 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.” | 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." |
| 56So the king said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.” | 56The king said, "Find out whose son this boy is!" |
| 57Then, 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. | 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. |
| 58And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” So David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.” | 58Saul said to him, "Whose son are you, young man?" David replied, "I am the son of your servant Jesse in Bethlehem." |
|
