New King James Version

Christian Standard 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 forces for war at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh and Azekah in 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 and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the Valley of Elah; then they lined up in battle formation to face 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 were standing on another hill with a ravine 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 named Goliath, from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches 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.

5and wore a bronze helmet and bronze scale armor that weighed one hundred twenty-five pounds.

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

6There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze javelin was slung between 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.

7His spear shaft was like a weaver's beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed fifteen pounds. In addition, a shield-bearer was walking in front of 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.

8He stood and shouted to the Israelite battle formations: "Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?" He asked them, "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 wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and 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 the ranks of Israel today. Send 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 Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

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 the Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons and during Saul's reign was already an old man.

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 the war, and their names were Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab, the next, and Shammah, the third,

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

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

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

15but David kept going back and forth from Saul to tend his father's flock in Bethlehem.

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

16Every morning and evening for forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand.

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 had told his son David: "Take this half-bushel of roasted grain along with these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp.

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 the field commander. Check on the well-being of your brothers and bring a confirmation 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 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, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had charged him. He arrived at the perimeter of the camp as the army was marching out to its battle formation shouting their battle cry.

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

21Israel and the Philistines lined up in battle formation facing each other.

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 supplies in the care of the quartermaster and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were.

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.

23While he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistine battle line and shouted his usual words, which David heard.

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

24When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.

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.”

25Previously, an Israelite man had declared: "Do you see this man who keeps coming out? He comes to defy Israel. The king will make the man who kills him very rich and will give him his daughter. The king will also make the family of that man's father exempt from paying taxes 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 spoke to the men who were standing with him: "What will be done for the man who kills that 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 this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.”

27The troops told him about the offer, concluding, "That is what will be done for the man who kills 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.”

28David's oldest brother Eliab listened as he spoke to the men, and he became angry with him. "Why did you come down here?" he asked. "Who did you leave those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and your evil heart--you came down to see the battle!"

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

29"What have I done now?" protested David. "It was just a question."

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 beside him to others in front of him and asked about the offer. The people 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.

31What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, so he had David brought to 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 by him; 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, "You can't go fight this Philistine. You're just a youth, and he's been a warrior since he was young."

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 answered Saul: "Your servant has been tending his father's sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off 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 went after it, struck it down, and rescued 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 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 killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be 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!”

37Then David said, "The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, 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 had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David's head and had him put on armor.

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 his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. "I can't walk in these," David said to Saul, "I'm not used to them." So David took them off.

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.

40Instead, he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd's bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he 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 came closer and closer to David, with the shield-bearer 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 and saw David, he despised him because he was just a youth, healthy and handsome.

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.

43He said to David, "Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?" Then he 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!”

44"Come here," the Philistine called to David, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts!"

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 said to the Philistine: "You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel--you have defied him.

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 hand you over to me. Today, I'll strike you down, remove your head, and give the corpses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the wild creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know 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 this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the LORD saves, for the battle is the LORD's. He will hand you over 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.

48When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet 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 put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown 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 defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a 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.

51David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine's sword, pulled it from its sheath, and used it to kill him. Then he cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they fled.

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.

52The men of Israel and Judah rallied, shouting their battle cry, and chased the Philistines to the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. Philistine bodies were strewn all 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 the 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 Goliath's head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath's weapons 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.”

55When Saul had seen David going out to confront the Philistine, he asked Abner the commander of the army, "Whose son is this youth, Abner?" "Your Majesty, as surely as you live, I don't know," Abner replied.

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

56The king said, "Find out whose son this young man 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.

57When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before 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.”

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

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

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.