1 Samuel 17:20-54

20So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the 1circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry. 21Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle array, army against army. 22Then David left his 2baggage in the 3care of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. 23As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke 4these same words; and David heard them.

24When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid. 25The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and 5will give him his daughter and make his father’s house 6free in Israel.”

26Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away 7the reproach from Israel? For who is this 8uncircumcised Philistine, that he should 9taunt the armies of 10the living God?” 27The people 11answered him in accord with this word, saying, “12Thus it will be done for the man who kills him.”

28Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and 13Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” 29But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a 14question?” 30Then he turned 15away from him to another and 16said the same thing; and the people answered the same thing as 17before.

31When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them 18to Saul, and he sent for him. 32David said to Saul, “19Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; 20your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33Then Saul said to David, “21You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35I went out after him and 22attacked him, and 23rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and 24struck him and killed him. 36Your servant has 25killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” 37And David said, “26The 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, “27Go, and may the Lord be with you.” 38Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. 39David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” And David took them 28off. 40He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and 29his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.

41Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. 42When the Philistine looked and saw David, 30he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and 31ruddy, with a handsome appearance. 43The Philistine said to David, “32Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And 33the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44The Philistine also said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh 34to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.” 45Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, 35but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the 36dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, 37that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47and that all this assembly may know that 38the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; 39for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.”

48Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that 40David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground.

50Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand. 51Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and 41took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. 42When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. 52The men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines 43as far as the valley, and to the gates of 44Ekron. And the slain Philistines 45lay along the way to 46Shaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron. 53The sons of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camps. 54Then David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.