New King James Version

New Living Translation

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 now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim.

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 countered by gathering his Israelite troops near the valley of Elah.

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

3So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, 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 Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine 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 wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds.

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

6He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder.

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 as heavy and thick as a weaver’s beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield.

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 shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight 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 kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves!

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

10I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!”

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

11When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken. Jesse Sends David to Saul’s Camp

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 a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Jesse was an old man at that time, and he had eight sons.

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—Eliab, Abinadab, and Shimea —had already joined Saul’s army to fight the Philistines.

14David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul.

14David was the youngest son. David’s three oldest brothers stayed with Saul’s army,

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

15but David went back and forth so he could help his father with the sheep in Bethlehem.

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

16For forty days, every morning and evening, the Philistine champion strutted in front of the Israelite army.

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.

17One day Jesse said to David, “Take this basket of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and carry them quickly 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.”

18And give these ten cuts of cheese to their captain. See how your brothers are getting along, and bring back a report on how they are doing. ”

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

19David’s brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against 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 left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries.

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

21Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army.

22And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers.

22David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers.

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 talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel.

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

24As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright.

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.”

25“Have you seen the giant?” the men asked. “He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!”

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 soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy 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.”

27And these men gave David the same reply. They said, “Yes, that is the reward for killing him.”

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.”

28But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”

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

29“What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!”

30Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.

30He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer.

31Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him.

31Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him. David Kills Goliath

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

32“Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”

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.”

33“Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since 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,

34But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb 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 go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death.

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.”

36I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, 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!”

37The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the LORD 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 gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail.

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 put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. “I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again.

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 picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.

41So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him.

41Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him,

42And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking.

42sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced 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.

43“Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of 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!”

44“Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.

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.

45David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—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 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.

46Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!

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 everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!”

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.

48As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him.

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.

49Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on 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.

50So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.

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.

51Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head. Israel Routs the Philistines When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.

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 gave a great shout of triumph and rushed after the Philistines, chasing them as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron. The bodies of the dead and wounded Philistines were strewn all along the road from Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron.

53Then the children of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their tents.

53Then the Israelite army returned and plundered the deserted Philistine camp.

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

54(David took the Philistine’s head to Jerusalem, but he stored the man’s armor in his own 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.”

55As Saul watched David go out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?” “I really don’t know,” Abner declared.

56So the king said, “Inquire whose son this young man is.”

56“Well, find out who he is!” the king told him.

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.

57As soon as David returned from killing Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul with the Philistine’s head still 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.”

58“Tell me about your father, young man,” Saul said. And David replied, “His name is Jesse, and we live in Bethlehem.”

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.