1 Samuel 17:41-54

41The Philistine came closer and closer to David, with the shield-bearer in front of him.

42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a youth, healthy and handsome.

43He said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?” Then he cursed David by his gods.

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

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.

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,

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.”

48When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine.

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.

50David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a sword.

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.

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.

53When the Israelites returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps.

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